December 2008 Phenomena
Updated February 21, 2017 | Factmonster Staff 
For terms in boldface, see Astronomical Terms.
| Day | Phenomenon | Hour |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LAST QUARTER | 1300 |
| 1 | Saturn is 2° north of the Moon. | 1300 |
| 6 | Venus is 7° north of the Moon. | 0100 |
| 6 | The Moon is at apogee. | 1700 |
| 9 | NEW MOON | 1800 |
| 12 | Vesta, the third-largest asteroid, is 0° 4' north of the Moon. Occultation of Vesta by the Moon. | 2100 |
| 14 | Neptune is 0° 7' north of the Moon. Occultation of Neptune by the Moon. | 1800 |
| 16 | Pallas, the second-largest asteroid, is 1° 0' south of the Moon. Occultation of Pallas by the Moon. | 0100 |
| 16 | Uranus is 2° south of the Moon. | 1800 |
| 17 | FIRST QUARTER | 1000 |
| 17 | Mercury is in superior conjunction. | 1500 |
| 19 | Mars is at its closest approach. | 0000 |
| 20 | Saturn appears to be motionless in the sky as it goes from direct motion to retrograde motion. | 1200 |
| 21 | Pluto is in conjunction with the Sun. | 0000 |
| 22 | Solstice. | 0600 |
| 22 | The Moon is at perigee. | 1000 |
| 23 | Jupiter is in conjunction with the Sun. | 0600 |
| 24 | FULL MOON | 0100 |
| 24 | Mars is 0° 9' south of the Moon. Occultation of Mars by the Moon. | 0300 |
| 24 | Mars is at opposition. | 2000 |
| 28 | Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo, is 0° 6' north of the Moon. Occultation of Regulus by the Moon. | 0500 |
| 28 | Saturn is 3° north of the Moon. | 2200 |
| 31 | LAST QUARTER | 0800 |
