Sunrise Sunset

Fri., Dec. 24 7:06 4:15

Sat., Dec. 25 7:06 4:16

Sun., Dec. 26 7:07 4:17

Mon., Dec. 27 7:07 4:17

Tues., Dec. 28 7:07 4:18

Wed., Dec. 29 7:08 4:19

Thurs., Dec. 30 7:08 4:19

Fri., Dec. 31 7:08 4:20

The last quarter moon rises well after midnight on Tuesday morning. The moon is in the zodiacal constellation Virgo and near the ringed planet Saturn. While we are into the first week of winter, there is spring in the stars in the early morning sky. Among the constellations you’ll find is Leo, the Lion and Bootes. The Big Dipper is overhead.

The crescent moon moves up close to the planet Venus on the last two mornings of the year, Thursday and Friday. The two are in the zodiacal constellation Libra.

Midnight Stars

There are plenty of stars in the night sky, for those wandering out around midnight. Orion, the hunter, stands at attention in the southern sky. The constellation is easy to notice, with three stars lined up perfectly. The three represent the hunter’s belt. To the upper left there is the bright red star called Betelgeuse. The star is said to be one of the biggest, though distant in the night sky. If Betelgeuse were to take the place of our sun, our Earth would not survive. Betelgeuse is larger than the Earth’s orbit. We’d all be cooked inside the star.

Close to the horizon and to the east of Orion, you’ll find another bright star called Sirius. Sirius is distinctly blueish in color, especially when compared to the red Betelgeuse and not as far away.

M.A.L.