December should be a spectacular month for sky-watchers all around the world, with the chance of a naked-eye comet, a parade of planets, and a stunning full "Cold Moon" rising.
NASA will launch the $10 billion James Webb Space Telescope on December 18, 2021, ushering in a new era in astronomy. It'll be a nerve-wracking experience to see. That goes for the complete solar eclipse on December 4, which a few hundred people have flown to Antarctica to see.
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Here's everything you need to know about the cosmic events this December:
"Cold Moon"
Although a full Moon is a worldwide event that occurs at precisely the same time worldwide, timezones imply that the moment of 100 percent illumination in North America occurs on Saturday, December 18, 2021. Seeing the full Moon when it reaches 100 percent illumination, on the other hand, is missing the point-you want to view a full moonrise soon after sunset when it's at its most magnificent. On Sunday, December 19, 2021, it will be dark in North America. Take a look northeast.
Total Solar Eclipse
The Moon will enter its New Moon phase, which will be the closest New Moon of 2021. Many call it a "Super New Moon." It will cross the face of the Sun at that "new" moment, causing a total solar eclipse that will only be seen from Antarctica. Eclipse chasers will be flying over the Scotia Sea in aircraft and aboard adventure cruise ships. The Moon's shadow will rush towards them, and the temperature will decrease as the light fades to dusk. They'll watch the final beam of sunlight form a stunning "diamond ring" around the Moon with their bare eyes in clear skies before the reveal of the Sun's exquisite ice-white corona shooting into space.
Visible Planets
For three nights in a row, a narrow crescent Moon will pass near Venus (December 6), Saturn (December 7), Saturn and Jupiter (December 8), and Jupiter (December 9). (December 9).
Geminid Meteor Shower
The Geminid meteor shower is one of the most spectacular astronomical events of the year. It's not only the most common and consistent display of shooting stars, but it's also the most colorful. This year's peak night is expected to be partially drowned out by the waxing gibbous Moon. Despite the less-than-ideal circumstances, some of the 150 multicolored "shooting stars" every hour should make it through between late evening and daybreak on December 13-14, 2021.
The Geminids are the consequence of 3200 Phaethon, a massive asteroid. 3200 Phaethon is a near-Earth asteroid that circles the Sun every 1.4 years. It was discovered in 1983 and named after the son of Helios (the Greek deity of the Sun).
The Geminid meteor shower is one of the most spectacular astronomical events of the year. It's not only the most common and consistent display of shooting stars, but it's also the most colorful. This year's peak night is expected to be partially drowned out by the waxing gibbous Moon. Despite the less-than-ideal circumstances, some of the 150 multicolored "shooting stars" every hour should make it through between late evening and daybreak on December 13-14, 2021.
The Geminids are the consequence of 3200 Phaethon, a massive asteroid. 3200 Phaethon is a near-Earth asteroid that circles the Sun every 1.4 years. It was discovered in 1983 and named after the son of Helios (the Greek deity of the Sun).
Comet Leonard
In the aftermath of Comet NEOWISE in 2020, there's a good chance that Comet Leonard (C/2021 A1) will do precisely that in mid-December.
Greg Leonard of Arizona's Mount Lemmon Observatory discovered this comet in early 2021, and it's slated to round the Sun on January 3, 2022, and get closest to Earth on December 12, 2021. It won't be near-it'll be 22 million miles/35 million kilometers away-but it could be visible to the naked eye by Christmas. It will be close to the brilliant star Arcturus, which will be advantageous.
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