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Jupiter is masquerading as the \u201cChristmas Star\u201d this month (image shows generic light beam). <\/p>\n
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Each Monday, I pick out North America\u2019s celestial highlights for the week ahead (which also apply to mid-northern latitudes in the northern hemisphere). Check my main feed for more in-depth articles on stargazing, astronomy, eclipses and more.<\/p>\n
The Night Sky This Week: Dec. 15-21, 2025<\/p>\n
This week begins with a delicate crescent moon at dawn and builds toward a celestial crescendo \u2014 a new moon, \u201cshooting stars\u201d and the official arrival of the winter solstice. The Geminid meteor shower may be wrapping up, but here comes the Ursids \u2014 and don\u2019t forget Jupiter, masquerading as the \u201cChristmas Star.\u201d If you have access to dark skies and a warm coat, this week promises awe-inspiring moments under a sparkling winter sky.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s everything you need to know about the night sky this week:<\/p>\n
Monday, Dec. 15: Crescent Moon, Spica And Mercury<\/p>\n
StellariumMonday, Dec. 15: Crescent Moon, Spica And Mercury<\/p>\n
Look low in the southeast about an hour before sunrise to spot a waning crescent moon, just 18%-lit. Above is bright star Spica in the constellation Virgo while below is tiny Mercury.<\/p>\n
Friday, Dec. 19: New Moon<\/p>\n
At 8:45 p.m. EST, the moon reaches its new phase \u2014 meaning it\u2019s absent from the sky entirely. This brings one of the darkest nights of the month, perfect for spotting the winter Milky Way. From a truly dark location, you\u2019ll see it arc softly across the sky from Cassiopeia in the northwest down to Orion and Canis Major in the southeast. It\u2019s less bright than summer\u2019s Milky Way, but rich in starfields.<\/p>\n
Saturday, Dec. 20: A \u2018Christmas Star\u2019 \u2014 it’s Jupiter! <\/p>\n
StellariumSaturday, Dec. 20: A \u2018Christmas Star\u2019<\/p>\n
Shining brilliantly in the east after sunset, Jupiter takes center stage for the next month or so. At magnitude -2.6, it rivals Sirius \u2014 the brightest star in Earth\u2019s night sky \u2014 and makes a fine \u201cChristmas Star\u201d of its own. It rises with the stars of Gemini \u2014 Castor and Pollux \u2014 and remains visible through the night. <\/p>\n
Planetary conjunctions (like those involving Jupiter) have been proposed as explanations for the biblical Star of Bethlehem.<\/p>\n
Sunday, December 21: Winter Solstice As Ursid Meteor Shower Peaks<\/p>\n
Winter officially begins in the Northern Hemisphere at 10:03 a.m. EST. Just after sunset, a 4%-lit waxing crescent moon will hover low in the southwest, setting shortly after. That leaves dark skies for the Ursid meteor shower, which peaks tonight. <\/p>\n
It\u2019s a minor shower \u2014 expect only around 10 meteors per hour \u2014 but it\u2019s perfectly timed with the new moon this year, so is worth a look. Gaze roughly north, between the Big and Little Dippers, for meteors streaking across the sky from comet 8P\/Tuttle\u2019s debris trail.<\/p>\n
Photo of the constellation Canis Major with annotations from IAU and Sky & Telescope. <\/p>\n
\u00a0E. Slawik\/NOIRLab\/NSF\/AURA\/M. Star And Constellation of the Week: Sirius And Canis Major<\/p>\n
Home to Sirius, Canis Major is now rising in the southeast by mid-evening. Representing the \u201cGreat Dog\u201d that follows Orion the Hunter, this constellation contains a cluster of stars that seem to chase across the sky. Sirius itself lies just 8.6 light-years away and appears as a brilliant white-blue beacon. Try tracing the rest of the dog\u2019s outline below it.<\/p>\n