Find out what the planets are doing in 2025 with our complete guide to visible planets, month-by-month<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul> <\/div>

Credit: m-gucci \/ Getty Images <\/figcaption> <\/figure> <\/div> <\/div>
$\"Chart$
Chart showing the location of Jupiter in Taurus during its opposition, December 2024. Credit: Pete Lawrence <\/figcaption> <\/figure>
There’s a lunar occultation of Mars visible on 18 December<\/a>, too.<\/p>
Uranus will be a decent planet to spot in December 2024, and can be seen near the Pleiades open star cluster<\/a>.<\/p>
Read on for our breakdown of the best Solar System planets to see in the night sky in December 2024.<\/p>
$\"The$
The phase and relative sizes of the planets in December 2024. Each planet is shown\u00a0with south at the top, to show its orientation through a telescope. Credit: Pete Lawrence <\/figcaption> <\/figure>
Jupiter<\/strong><\/h2>

Best time to see:<\/strong> 7 December, 00:00 UT<\/li>
Altitude:<\/strong> 59\u00b0<\/li>
Location:<\/strong> Taurus<\/li>
Direction:<\/strong> South<\/li>
Features:<\/strong> Complex atmosphere, Galilean moons<\/li>
Recommended equipment:<\/strong> 75mm scope or larger<\/li> <\/ul>
Mercury\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>

Best time to see:<\/strong> 23 December, 1 hour before sunrise<\/li>
Altitude:<\/strong> 6\u00b0 (low)<\/li>
Location:<\/strong> Ophiuchus<\/li>
Direction:<\/strong> Southeast<\/li> <\/ul>
Evening planet Mercury is poorly positioned at the start of December. After inferior conjunction on 6 December<\/strong>, it re-emerges into the morning sky where it remains for the rest of the month. Your best chance to spot it will be after mid-month.<\/p>
On 15 December<\/strong>, shining at mag. +0.6, it rises 100 minutes before sunrise. It brightens to mag. \u20130.2 on 23 December<\/strong>, when it\u2019s at greatest western elongation, rising nearly 2 hours before the Sun.\u00a0<\/p>
Venus<\/strong><\/h2>

Best time to see:<\/strong> 31 December, 1 hour after sunset<\/li>
Altitude:<\/strong> 20\u00b0<\/li>
Location:<\/strong> Aquarius<\/li>
Direction:<\/strong> South-southwest<\/li> <\/ul>
Mag. \u20134.0 Venus is reasonably well placed in the evening sky after sunset. A 12%-lit waxing crescent Moon sits 4.8\u00b0 south\u00adwest on the 4th and, at 19% illumination, 8.5\u00b0 east-southeast on 5 December<\/strong>.<\/p>
By 31 December<\/strong>, as it approaches greatest eastern elongation on 10 January 2025<\/strong>, Venus brightens to mag. \u20134.2 and sets 4 hours 15 minutes after sunset.<\/p>
Mars<\/strong><\/h2>

Best time to see:<\/strong> 31 December, 02:00 UT<\/li>
Altitude:<\/strong> 60\u00b0<\/li>
Location:<\/strong> Cancer<\/li>
Direction:<\/strong> South<\/li> <\/ul>
Mars reaches opposition in January 2025. Shining at mag. \u20130.5 on 1 December<\/strong>, it\u2019s 2\u00b0 from the Beehive Cluster<\/a> and shows an 11-arcsecond disc. It reverses its apparent eastward motion on 6 December<\/strong>, thereafter moving west against the background stars. This is known as Mars retrograde<\/a>.<\/p>
The Moon occults mag. \u20130.9 Mars on 18 December<\/strong> in daylight. By the end of December<\/strong>, Mars shines at mag. \u20131.2 and presents a 14-arcsecond disc when viewed through the eyepiece. \u00a0<\/p>
Saturn\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>

Best time to see:<\/strong> 1 December, 18:30 UT<\/li>
Altitude:<\/strong> 28\u00b0<\/li>
Location:<\/strong> Aquarius<\/li>
Direction:<\/strong> South<\/li> <\/ul>
Saturn\u2019s ability to be seen at its highest position, due south under dark skies is lost from around 10 December<\/strong>, the planet thereafter nudging slowly west of south and losing altitude as it goes.<\/p>
By month end, it appears 26\u00b0 above the south-southwest horizon as darkness falls, with Venus rapidly approaching from the west for an encounter on 18 January 2025<\/strong>. \u00a0<\/p>
Uranus<\/strong><\/h2>

Best time to see:<\/strong> 1 December, 23:00 UT<\/li>
Altitude:<\/strong> 56\u00b0<\/li>
Location:<\/strong> Taurus<\/li>
Direction:<\/strong> South<\/li> <\/ul>
Mag. +5.6 evening planet Uranus reaches its highest point in the sky under darkness all month. Currently located southwest of the Pleiades.\u00a0<\/p>
Neptune\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>

Best time to see:<\/strong> 1 December, 19:20 UT<\/li>
Altitude:<\/strong> 35\u00b0<\/li>
Location:<\/strong> Pisces<\/li>
Direction:<\/strong> South<\/li> <\/ul>
An evening planet, reaching 35\u00b0 peak altitude under darkness for most of the month. Neptune currently appears at mag. +7.9 south-southwest of the Circlet asterism in Pisces<\/a>.<\/p>
If you’re observing or imaging the planets in December 2024, share your observations and images with us by emailing contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>
This article appeared in the December 2024 issue of BBC Sky at Night Magazine.<\/em><\/strong><\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n
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Jupiter<\/strong><\/h2> Best time to see:<\/strong> 7 December, 00:00 UT<\/li> Altitude:<\/strong> 59\u00b0<\/li> Location:<\/strong> Taurus<\/li> Direction:<\/strong> South<\/li> Features:<\/strong> Complex atmosphere, Galilean moons<\/li>

Mercury\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2> Best time to see:<\/strong> 23 December, 1 hour before sunrise<\/li> Altitude:<\/strong> 6\u00b0 (low)<\/li> Location:<\/strong> Ophiuchus<\/li>

Saturn\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2> Best time to see:<\/strong> 1 December, 18:30 UT<\/li> Altitude:<\/strong> 28\u00b0<\/li> Location:<\/strong> Aquarius<\/li>

Uranus<\/strong><\/h2> Best time to see:<\/strong> 1 December, 23:00 UT<\/li> Altitude:<\/strong> 56\u00b0<\/li> Location:<\/strong> Taurus<\/li>

Neptune\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2> Best time to see:<\/strong> 1 December, 19:20 UT<\/li> Altitude:<\/strong> 35\u00b0<\/li> Location:<\/strong> Pisces<\/li>