December 22, 2023: Mercury is between Earth and Sun, known as inferior conjunction. Jupiter and the gibbous moon are celestial companions during nighttime hours.

December 21, 2023: Winter begins in the northern hemisphere.  Jupiter and Saturn are visible in the evening sky three years after their Great Conjunction.

December 20, 2023: Brilliant Venus is in the southeast before daybreak.  After nightfall the gibbous moon nears Jupiter in the southeast sky.

December 19, 2023: Before sunrise, Venus appears below the Scorpion’s claws.  After sundown, the moon is nearly midway from Saturn to Jupiter.

December 18, 2023: Look for Venus between the Scorpion’s claws in the southeast before sunrise. The thick crescent moon is in the evening sky with Jupiter and Saturn.

December 17, 2023: Before sunrise, Venus passes Zubenelgenubi, a planet-star conjunction.  After sundown, Saturn and crescent moon are paired, a planet-moon conjunction.

December 16, 2023: Before daybreak, Venus is above the Scorpion’s southern claw.  After nightfall, the crescent moon nears Saturn.

December 15, 2023: Before sunrise, brilliant Venus approaches Zubenelgenubi, the Scorpion’s southern claw.  The lunar evening crescent returns to the western sky after nightfall.

December 14, 2023: Brilliant Morning Star Venus nears the Scorpion’s northern claw, Zubenelgenubi.  The thin crescent moon cues Mercury’s location in the evening sky.

December 13, 2023: Look for Planet Uranus through a binocular.  Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn are visible during the nighttime hours.