Don’t Miss: Lunar Occultation – Mars Disappears

The Moon occasionally moves past all the planets in the solar system, including Mars. Credit: Sergio Scauso

What are the highlights of sky observation in December 2022? The moon sweeps away the past

Jupiter

Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and the fifth planet from the sun. It is a gas giant with a mass greater than all the other planets combined. Its name comes from the Roman god Jupiter.

” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{” attribute=””>Jupiter twice this month, and actually covers

What to look for in December 2022: Mars disappears and Pegasus goes on an adventure. Viewers in most of the United States and Europe can watch Mars glide behind the Moon on December 7, and anyone can find the winged horse constellation Pegasus.

• 1st December – Look to the southwest tonight to find the Moon just a few fingers away from the bright planet Jupiter.
• December 7 – Full moon
• December 7 – The Moon occults or covers Mars tonight. In the United States, Mars slips behind the Moon for viewers everywhere outside of the East Coast and Southeast, where the Moon will appear to barely pass Mars. Check your favorite stargazing app or website for the timing of Mars’ disappearance and reappearance.
• December 23 – New Moon
• December 25-31 – Discover the Moon and the planets at the end of the year. Watch each evening the passage of the moon more and more full
  Saturn
  Saturn is the sixth planet from the sun and has the second largest mass in the solar system. It has a much lower density than Earth but a much larger volume. Saturn’s name comes from the Roman god of wealth and agriculture.

  ” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{” attribute=””>Saturn on the 26th and then past Jupiter on the 28th.

• All month – Find the constellation Pegasus high in the south-southwest after dark. Look for bright Jupiter and find the Great Square of Pegasus about 15 degrees above it.

Lunar occultation of Mars. Credit: Andrés Jobacho

Video Transcript:

What’s Up for December? Your evening planet highlights, including the disappearance of Mars, and the constellation Pegasus.

The month begins and ends with the Moon visiting the giant planets. On December 1st, find the Moon just a couple of finger-widths apart from Jupiter in the evening sky. Then, from the 25th to the 31st, look to the southwest following sunset to see an increasingly full Moon slip past Saturn and then again past Jupiter. Viewers with a clear view to the horizon will be able to search for

The phases of the Moon for December 2022. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech