December night sky guide: Meteor showers, brilliant planets

Here's a guide to the December night sky, according to the Farmer's Almanac.

Venus dazzles as a morning star in the east throughout December. It rises three to four hours before sunrise.

Mercury reaches greatest elongation east this evening, when it sets in the southwest, approximately one hour after sunset.

From now through Dec. 13, the planet is visible six degrees above the southwest horizon a half hour after sunset.

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Dec. 5 — Last Quarter Moon The last quarter moon occurs at 12:49 a.m. Dec. 9 — Venus And The Crescent Moon

Dec. 12 — New Moon The new moon occurs at 6:32 p.m.

At around 10:30 p.m., look overhead and you will see the brilliant golden yellow star Capella in the constellation of Auriga, the Charioteer.

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