What can you see in the night sky tonight? Find out what’s on view in our monthly stargazing guide.
What’s in the night sky tonight?
Those of us who enjoy stargazing and observing the night sky can’t always plan when and where we’re going to get the chance to gaze upwards.
Busy schedules, light pollution, the weather: sometimes finding even just 30 minutes to stand and stare up at a clear, dark night sky and take in the planets, stars and constellations can be a feat in itself.
So when you do find the time, you’ll need to know what’s visible in the night sky tonight, and the best things to look out for when stargazing.
Complete newcomer? Read our guides to the best telescopes for beginners and astronomy for beginners.
Here’s our stargazing guide to what you can see in the night sky tonight.
Our guide is centred around what’s visible from the UK, but all northern hemisphere observers should be able to use it, with the odd adjustment to stated times.
In our guide, we useUniversal Time (UT) and British Summer Time (BST). UT is the standard time used by astronomers around the world. BST is one hour ahead of UT
We also use RA (Right ascension)and dec. (declination).
These coordinates are the night sky’s equivalent of longitude and latitude, describing where an object is on the celestial ‘globe’.
For help with these, read our guide to celestial coordinates.
For more advice, read our guide on how to stargaze or sign up to receive the BBC Sky at Night Magazine e-newsletter for weekly tips delivered directly to your email inbox.
If you’re south of the equator, find out what you can see in the Southern Hemisphere night sky tonight.
What’s in the night sky tonight?
December astronomy highlights
- 9 December: Morning waning crescent Moon near venus
- 13 December: Earliest sunset of the year
- 13-15 December: Favourable Geminid meteor shower peak
- 21 December: Asteroid Vesta reaches opposition
- 30 December: Latest sunrise of the year
The UK’s darkest skies occur in December due to the winter solstice, which in 2023 occurs on 23 December.
Pegasus holds the banner for autumn early evening, the wedge-shaped pattern of Andromeda extending out of the Great Square of Pegasus northeast corner towards Perseus, the Greek Hero, a misshapen lower case Greek Pi (π) with arms.
Dark skies allow the fainter winter Milky Way to be seen passing through northern Perseus and into neighbouring Cassiopeia, the Seated Queen.
Full of beautiful open star clusters, this region deserves a casual sweep with binoculars or a small telescope on low power.
Find out more about this in our guide to deep-sky objects in Cassiopeia.
A famous cluster pair sits between Perseus and Cassiopeia. Known as h and Chi (χ) Persei, the Double Cluster, the pair fit together in the same binocular field.
East of Perseus, the Milky Way continues into the misshapen pentagon of Auriga, the Charioteer, distinctive thanks to the bright star Capella (Alpha (α) Aurigae) along its northern edge.
Try a binocular sweep through the pentagon in the night sky tonight to find star clusters including the Messier trio, M38, M36 and M37.
M38 sits at the northern end of a curving line of faint stars representing a smile.
Two further stars mark the eyes of an asterism known as the Cheshire Cat.
Elnath (Beta (β) Tauri) sits at the bottom of Auriga’s pentagon and, although belonging to Taurus, the Bull, is often depicted as connected to both constellations.
This is because it was once Gamma (γ) Aurigae.
Taurus marks the approximate boundary between autumn and winter and depicts the horns, head and shoulders of a mythological bull swimming in the sea.
Elnath marks the bull’s northern horn tip, Tianguan (Zeta (ζ) Tauri) the southern tip.
The bull’s face is represented by the V-shaped Hyades open cluster, the V appearing on its side with bright orange Aldebaran (Alpha (α) Tauri) at the eastern end of the southern arm.
Northwest of the Hyades is the beautiful Pleiades or Seven Sisters open cluster, M45.
South of Taurus is Eridanus, the River, which starts near Rigel (Beta (β) Orionis), with the star Cursa (Beta (β) Eridani).
It then meanders west and south, disappearing below the UK’s southern horizon where it eventually ends at the bright Southern Hemisphere star Achernar (Alpha (α) Eridani).
Orion lies east of the northern part of Eridanus, Cetus, the Whale or Sea Monster to the west, bridging the gap between Eridanus and Aquarius.
Cetus’s head is represented by either a pentagon or hexagon, depending on how many stars you want to include.
Minor planet 4 Vesta reaches opposition on 21 December, shining at mag. 6.3 and favourably placed within northern Orion, close to the border with Gemini, the Twins.
Vesta is heading for an encounter with the Crab Nebula, M1, in mid-January.
Gemini is the constellation where the annual Geminid meteor shower appears to emanate from.
Conditions for the shower are very favourable this year, so if you’re reading this mid-December, have a look up at the night sky tonight and see if you can spot a shooting star.
Night sky in December 2023, night-by-night
Saturday 2 December
Just before dawn, the 77%-lit waning gibbous Moon sits 3° to the north of the Beehive Cluster, M44.
How to see it:
- Binoculars: 10×50 recommended
- Photo opp: Use a CCD, planetary camera or standard DSLR
Ganymede transits Jupiter from 03:08 UT until 04:56 UT.
How to see it:
- Small/medium scope: Reflector/SCT under 6 inches, refractor under 4 inches
- Photo opp: Use a CCD, planetary camera or standard DSLR
Monday 4 December
Mercury reaches a greatest eastern elongation of 21.3° and is visible low above the southwest horizon after sunset. Despite being at mag. –0.3, the planet’s position isn’t optimal.
How to see it:
- Binoculars: 10×50 recommended
Thursday 7 December
Jupiter’s moon Io appears to chase the mag. 11.6 star GSC634-593 as it heads towards an occultation by Jupiter. The planet occults the star at 21:00 UT. The star reappears at 00:51 UT on 8 December.
How to see it:
- Large telescope: Reflector/SCT over 6 inches, refractor over 4 inches
- Photo opp: Use a CCD, planetary camera or standard DSLR
Saturday 9 December
This morning, look for the 14%-lit waning crescent Moon less than 5° from mag. –4.0 Venus.
How to see it:
- Naked eye: Allow 20 minutes for your eyes to become dark-adapted
- Photo opp: Use a CCD, planetary camera or standard DSLR
Reasonable libration for spotting Mare Orientale this morning.
How to see it:
- Small/medium scope: Reflector/SCT under 6 inches, refractor under 4 inches
- Photo opp: Use a CCD, planetary camera or standard DSLR
Tuesday 12 December
Jupiter’s largest moon Ganymede is occulted by the planet, starting at 20:03 UT. Its reappearance begins at 21:41 UT.
How to see it:
- Small/medium scope: Reflector/SCT under 6 inches, refractor under 4 inches
- Photo opp: Use a CCD, planetary camera or standard DSLR
Wednesday 13 December
Today’s sunset is the earliest for the year.
How to see it:
- Photo opp: Use a CCD, planetary camera or standard DSLR
Thursday 14 December
The Geminid meteor shower peaks this evening, meriting an all-night watch. The theoretical peak occurs at 19:00 UT, but geometry and timing favour watches on 13/14 and 14/15 December.
How to see it:
- Naked eye: Allow 20 minutes for your eyes to become dark-adapted
- Photo opp: Use a CCD, planetary camera or standard DSLR
Saturday 16 December
Ganymede’s shadow transits Jupiter from 14:03 until 15:58 UT, starting in full daylight. As darkness falls, Europa will be in transit, its shadow also transiting from 16:47 until 19:11 UT.
How to see it:
- Small/medium scope: Reflector/SCT under 6 inches, refractor under 4 inches
- Photo opp: Use a CCD, planetary camera or standard DSLR
Sunday 17 December
At 19:30 UT, the 27%-lit waxing crescent Moon sits just 4.3° below mag. 0.8 Saturn.
How to see it:
- Naked eye: Allow 20 minutes for your eyes to become dark-adapted
- Photo opp: Use a CCD, planetary camera or standard DSLR
Callisto sits below Jupiter’s southern pole at 21:49 UT.
How to see it:
- Small/medium scope: Reflector/SCT under 6 inches, refractor under 4 inches
- Photo opp: Use a CCD, planetary camera or standard DSLR
Tuesday 19 December
Jupiter’s largest moon Ganymede is occulted by the planet starting at 23:34 UT. Reappearance begins at 01:17 UT on 20 December.
How to see it:
- Small/medium scope: Reflector/SCT under 6 inches, refractor under 4 inches
- Photo opp: Use a CCD, planetary camera or standard DSLR
Thursday 21 December
Vesta reaches opposition and can be seen shining at mag. 6.3 among the stars of northern Orion.
How to see it:
- Binoculars: 10×50 recommended
- Photo opp: Use a CCD, planetary camera or standard DSLR
Friday 22 December
The Northern Hemisphere’s winter solstice occurs at 03:28 UT.
Look for the 80%-lit waxing Moon less than 3° from mag. –2.5 Jupiter as the sky darkens this evening.
How to see it:
- Naked eye: Allow 20 minutes for your eyes to become dark-adapted
- Photo opp: Use a CCD, planetary camera or standard DSLR
Saturday 23 December
Ganymede’s shadow transits Jupiter between 18:04 and 20:00 UT. Europa’s shadow also makes an appearance at 19:22 UT.
How to see it:
- Small/medium scope: Reflector/SCT under 6 inches, refractor under 4 inches
- Photo opp: Use a CCD, planetary camera or standard DSLR
Sunday 24 December
Early this morning as it approaches setting, the 91%-lit waxing gibbous Moon will be 3.1° from the centre of the Pleiades open cluster.
How to see it:
- Binoculars: 10×50 recommended
- Photo opp: Use a CCD, planetary camera or standard DSLR
Wednesday 27 December
Tonight and into tomorrow morning, comet 62P/Tsuchinshan will pass through the Leo Triplet of galaxies (M65, M66 and NGC 3628). It’s predicted to be around mag. +7.2 at this time.
How to see it:
- Binoculars: 10×50 recommended
- Photo opp: Use a CCD, planetary camera or standard DSLR
Saturday 30 December
Today’s sunrise is the latest of the year.
Ganymede transits Jupiter from 17:13 until 19:17 UT. Europa follows suit between 19:38 and 22:01 UT.
How to see it:
- Photo opp: Use a CCD, planetary camera or standard DSLR