As we head into December the nights are becoming long and crisp, revealing the true glory of the winter sky.
Orion now dominates the south-eastern sky by late evening with Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, following close behind.
The Winter Hexagon forms a grand circle of stars this month, including Capella, Aldebaran, Rigel, Sirius, Procyon, and Pollux. It’s a stunning naked-eye asterism that showcases the richness of winter constellations, best seen after 10pm from mid-month onwards.
The Geminid meteor shower, the best of the year, will peak from 13th-14th December. The meteors appear to radiate from Gemini, just near Castor, and are visible from late evening through to dawn. They can appear anywhere in the sky and are best observed high in the sky away from the radiant.
Jupiter continues to shine brightly in the evening sky in December, and is worth looking at using binoculars or a telescope.
Binocular users can also enjoy the Hyades cluster near Aldebaran and revisit the Pleiades, high in the sky by mid-December.
Last but not least, the Moon will offer dramatic views of its terrain, especially around its Third Quarter (Dec 11) and First Quarter (Dec 27) phases.