Celestial Events-December 2020

We all are now entering the last phase of the year 2020. This year passed with many circumstances, many achievements with some different taste differ from previous one. So many things changed if we compare the end with the beginning of the year. Even the position of different objects, moving celestial bodies in space are changed from their original place. The year 2020 has been full of different exciting celestial events that we already watched. Let’s discover some of these amazing phenomena of December; last journey of the year!!

-->Geminids meteor shower- 13,14 december

-->Total solar eclipse, New moon- 14 december

-->Ursid meteors- 21,22 december

-->Winter solstice- 21 december

-->Great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn- 21 december

-->Full moon- 30 december

GEMINIDS METEOR SHOWER:

Meteor shower is such an exciting event to watch. Geminids shower is the most important and spectacular meteor shower appear in the sky. Geminids meteor shower wil visible on 13^th December and upto early morning of 14^th December. But one can see this from 4-17 December for around two weeks but best to watch between 13 &14^th of the month. We can see around 120-130 meteors per hour on these days when they are active on their peak.

Geminids Meteor Shower (Credit- earthsky.org)

TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE:

On 14th December, the moon will be in between the sun and the earth and moon covers the total region of the sun occuring total solar eclipse. It will not appear all over the world. Only people belongs to the region of southern hemisphere like some part of South America, Chile, Argentina and the duration of the eclipse will be very short approx 2-3 minutes. This phenomena happens only when new moon appears between sun and earth. The next total solar eclipse will occur on 4 December 2021 with a long duration.

Observed region(Credit-skyandtelescope.org)

URSID METEORS:

 The meteor from the constellation Usra Minor will be active on it's peak on the date 21 & 22 December of the year. It will be visible for a week from 17-24 December. The rate of this Ursid meteors are very low in comparision to geminids and can be observed around 10-20 meteors per hour.

Possible Ursid Meteor Shower showing along with Constellation
(Source-timesanddate.com) 

Check Out-Celestial events of November 2020

WINTER SOLSTICE:

This is the phenomena occur twice in a year for each hemisphere. It happens when one pole of the earth tilt away from the sun. As a result this is the day of shortest day time and logest night. This is also called hibernal or hiemal soltice. Often it also said as mid-winter.

This phenomena occurs on 21^st December of the year; the day of shortest day and longest night.

CONJUNCTION:- Jupiter & Saturn

This is one of the rare astronomy event of the year. In this event, the planets Jupiter and Saturn will come very close to each other that it will be difficult for watchers to compare the difference. The two planets appear as double planet called great conjunction will visible on 21st December.

Conjunction is the event occurs when two celestial objects make a closer approach to each other and appear as a single bright object in the night sky. The two planets will be present on the top of one another with only 0.1° apart.

Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter occur in every 20 years. Last "great conjunction" viewed was on 28th May 2000. But the next Saturn-Jupiter conjunction will be on 2080 after 60 years.

Showing possible planet allignment "Great Conjunction"
( Credit-timesanddate.com)

FULL MOON

This is the day in which Moon will be completely illuminated and clearly visible on the dark night sky. On the last day of the year; 30 December, Full moon will appear. We can observe it on late night of December 29 to early time of 30 December. This is the 13th and final full moon of the year often we called it as cold moon.

 The full cold moon also called long night moon as it appears on the longest night and will be clearly visible on the darkest night sky of the year.

Phases of Moon in Dec (Credit- NASA)

This is all about the important celestial events of December. Mark your calender and observe the events described. Stay connected for similar exciting events of the upcoming year 2021!!