Sky Chart For The Month of December, 2022

ASTRONOMICAL BULLETIN FOR DECEMBER 2022

The Moon

Full Moon occurs on 8^th at h 09-38 I.S.T.	Last Quarter occurs on 16^th at h 14-26 I.S.T.
New Moon occurs on 23^rd at h 15-47 I.S.T.	First Quarter occurs on 30^th at h. 06-50 I.S.T.
The Lunar Crescent becomes first visible after the New Moon day in the evening of 24^th.
The Moon is at Apogee or farthest from the Earth on 12^th and at Perigee or nearest to the Earth on 24^th.

The Moon passes about 3º south of Neptunein the evening of1^st,about 3º south of Jupiter on 2^nd, about ½ º north of Uranus before midnight of 5^th, about ½ ºnorth of Mars on 8^th, about 3½ ºsouth of Venus just after sunset and about 4° south of Mercury on 24^th, about 4º south of Saturn on 26^th, about 3º south of Neptuneand about 2½º south of Jupiter on 29^th.

The Earth

The Earth is in Winter Solstice on 22^nd.

The Planets

Visibility of Planets:

Mercury: The planet is too close to the Sun to be visible till 1^stof the month. Thereafter it sets 1 hour to 1½ hours after sunset upto third quarter of the month and about 1½ hours to 1 hour after it for the remaining days of the month. The planet is in Greatest Eastern Elongation of about 20º from the Sun on 21^st.The motion of the planet becomes Retrogradewith respect to the Earth from 29^th.

Venus: The planet sets about ½ hour to 1 hour after sunsetupto third quarter of the month and about 1 hour to 1½ hours after it for the remaining days of the month.The planet is in Aphelion position or farthest from the Sun on 26^th.

Mars:The planet rises about ½ hour after sunset to close to sunset time andremains visible till the beginning of morning twilightupto first quarter of the month. Thereafter it sets around sunrise time to about ½ hour before it upto second quarter to the month, about ½ hour to 1 hour before it uptothird quarter of the month and about 1 hour to 2 hours before it for the remaining days of the month. It is in Oppositionwith the Sun on 8^th.

Jupiter:The planetsets about 1 hour to ½ hour after the local midnight time upto first quarter of the month, about ½ hour after it to close to local midnight timeuptosecond quarter of the month, then from close to local midnight time to ½ hour before it uptothird quarter to the month, about ½ hour to 1 hour before it for the remaining days of the month. The planet is in Quadrature with the Sun on 22^nd.

Saturn:The planet sets before local midnight time throughout the month. It sets about 2 hours to 2½ hours before it upto second quarter of the month, about 2½ hours to 3 hoursbefore it upto third quarter of the month and about 3 hours to 4 hours before it for the remaining days of the month.

Uranus:The planet sets about 1½ hours to 2 hours before sunriseupto first quarter of the month, about 2 hours to 3 hours before it upto third quarter of the month, about 3 hours to 4 hours before it for the remaining days of the month

Neptune:The planet sets about ½ hour after local midnight time to close to it upto first quarter of the month, thereafter close to midnight time to ½ hour before it upto second quarter of the month, about ½ hour to 1 hour before it upto third quarter of the month, about 1 hour to 1½ hoursbefore it for the remaining days of the month. The motion of the planet becomes Direct with respect to the Earth on 4^th.The planet is in Quadrature with the Sun on 14^th.

Conjunction of Planets:

Mars passes about 8º north of Aldebaran(Rohini) on 22^nd.

Mercury passes about 1½º north of Venus on 29^th.

Planets	Planets in Zodiacal Constellation	Magnitude
Mercury (Budha)	Moves from Scorpion (Vrischika) to Sagittarius (Dhanus)on 3^rd. Moves from Sagittarius (Dhanus)to Capricornus (Makara) on 28^th. Moves from Capricornus (Makara) to Sagittarius (Dhanus) on 31^st. (Retrograde)	-0.7 to 0.0 0.0 to +1.1
Venus (Sukra)	Moves from Scorpion (Vrischika) to Sagittarius (Dhanus) on 5^th. Moves from Sagittarius (Dhanus)to Capricornus (Makara) on 29^th.	-3.9
Mars (Mangala)	Remains in Taurus (Vrisha).	-1.8 to -1.9 -1.9 to -1.1
Jupiter (Brihaspati)	Remains in Pisces (Mina).	-2.6 to -2.3
Saturn (Sani)	Remains in Capricornus (Makara).	+0.7 to +0.8
Uranus	Remains in Aries (Mesha).	+6.0
Neptune	Remains in Aquarius (Kumbha).	+8.0

Source : : Director

Positional Astronomy Centre

India Meteorological Department

Salt Lake, Kolkata - 700 091.