Sky Chart For The Month of December, 2012 [INDIA SPECIFIC]

ASTRONOMICAL BULLETIN FOR DECEMBER 2012

The Moon

Last Quarter occurs on 06th at h. 21-01 I.S.T.	New Moon occurs on 13th at h. 14-12 I.S.T.
First Quarter occurs on 20th at h. 10-49 I.S.T.	Full Moon occurs on 28th at h. 15-51 I.S.T.
The Lunar Crescent becomes first visible after the New Moon day in the evening of 14th.
The Moon is at Perigee or nearest to the Earth on 13th and at Apogee or farthest from the Earth on 26th

The Moon passes 4º south of Saturn on 10^th, about 1½º south of Venus on 11^th, about 1º south of Mercury on 12^th, about 5½º north of Mars on 15^th, about 6º north of Neptune on 18^th , about 5º north of Uranus on 21^st , about ½º south of Jupiter on 26^th.

The Earth

The Earth is at Winter Solstice on 21^st

The Planets

The Visibility of Planets :

Mercury: The planet is seen in the eastern sky before sunrise and remains visible till the beginning morning twilight. It rises about 1½ hours to 1 hour before sunrise upto 3^rdquarter of the month and about 1 hour to ½ hour before it upto 29^th of the month. Thereafter it becomes too close to the Sun to be visible for the remaining days of the month .The planet is in Greatest Western Elongation of about 21º from the Sun on 5^th.

Venus: It is a brilliant object visible in the eastern sky before sunrise. It rises before sunrise and remains visible till the beginning of morning twilight throughout the month. It rises about 2 hours to 1½ hours before it throughout the month.

Mars: The planet is visible in the western sky in the evening. It sets about 2 hours after sunset throughout the month.

Jupiter: The planet rises very close to sunset time during first quarter of the month. Thereafter it sets before sunrise for the remaining days of the month. It sets about ½ hour to 1 hour before sunrise upto second quarter of the month, about 1 hour to 1½ hours before it upto third quarter of the month and about 1½ hours to 2½ hours before it for the remaining days of the month. The planet is in Opposition with the Sun on 3^rd.

Saturn: The planet rises after local midnight and remains visible till the beginning of morning twilight throughout the month. It rises about 3½ hours to 3 hours after local midnight upto second quarter of the month, about 3 hours to 2½ hours after it upto third quarter of the month and about 2½ hours to 2 hours after it for the remaining days of the month

Uranus: The planet sets around local midnight time throughout the month. It sets about 1½ hours to 1 hour after local midnight upto first quarter of the month, about 1 hour to ½ hour after local midnight upto second quarter of the month and about ½ hour after it to close to local midnight time upto third quarter of the month. Thereafter it sets around local midnight time to ½ hour before it for the remaining days of the month, being in Quadrature with the Sun on 26^th. The motion of planet becomes Direct with respect to the Earth on 13^th.

Neptune: The planet sets before local midnight throughout the month. It sets about 1 hour to 1½ hours before it upto first quarter of the month, about 1½ hours to 2 hours before it upto second quarter of the month, about 2 hours to 2½ hours before it upto third quarter of the month and about 2½ hours to 3 hours before it for the remaining days of the month.

Conjunction of Planet :

Jupiter passes about 4½º North of Aldebaran (Rohini) on 8^th.

Mercury passes 5½º North of Antares (Jeystha) on 17^th.

Venus passes about 5½ º North of Antares (Jeystha) on 23^rd.

Planets	Planets in Zodiacal Constellation	Magnitude
Mercury (Budha)	Moves from Libra (Tula) to Scorpio (Vrischika) on 6th. Moves from Scorpio (Vrischika) to Sagittarius ( Dhanus ) on 27th	-0.1 to –0.6
Venus (Sukra)	Moves from Libra (Tula) to Scorpio (Vrischika) on 11th.	-3.9
Mars (Mangala)	Moves from Sagittarius (Dhanus) to Capricorn’s (Makara) on 18th.	+1.2
Jupiter (Brihaspati)	Remains in Taurus (Vrisha)	-2.7
Saturn (Sani)	Remains in Libra (Tula).	+0.6
Uranus	Remains in Pisces (Mina).	+6.0
Neptune	Remains in Aquarius (Kumbha).	+8.0

Positional Astronomy Centre

India Meteorological Department

Salt Lake, Kolkata - 700 091.