All eyes will be on Jupiter in December 2024, as the planet reaches opposition on 7 December, but there are plenty of other Solar System planets on show in the night sky this month.
Jupiter will be magnificent in the December 2024 night sky, and is visible all night in the constellation Taurus.
Venus can be seen as an 'Evening Star' just after sunset in December, and the Red Planet is worth seeking out too, as Mars is approaching its opposition in January 2025.
- Find out what the planets are doing in 2025 with our complete guide to visible planets, month-by-month
There's a lunar occultation of Mars visible on 18 December, too.
Uranus will be a decent planet to spot in December 2024, and can be seen near the Pleiades open star cluster.
Read on for our breakdown of the best Solar System planets to see in the night sky in December 2024.
Jupiter
- Best time to see: 7 December, 00:00 UT
- Altitude: 59°
- Location: Taurus
- Direction: South
- Features: Complex atmosphere, Galilean moons
- Recommended equipment: 75mm scope or larger
Mercury
- Best time to see: 23 December, 1 hour before sunrise
- Altitude: 6° (low)
- Location: Ophiuchus
- Direction: Southeast
Evening planet Mercury is poorly positioned at the start of December. After inferior conjunction on 6 December, it re-emerges into the morning sky where it remains for the rest of the month. Your best chance to spot it will be after mid-month.
On 15 December, shining at mag. +0.6, it rises 100 minutes before sunrise. It brightens to mag. –0.2 on 23 December, when it’s at greatest western elongation, rising nearly 2 hours before the Sun.
Venus
- Best time to see: 31 December, 1 hour after sunset
- Altitude: 20°
- Location: Aquarius
- Direction: South-southwest
Mag. –4.0 Venus is reasonably well placed in the evening sky after sunset. A 12%-lit waxing crescent Moon sits 4.8° southwest on the 4th and, at 19% illumination, 8.5° east-southeast on 5 December.
By 31 December, as it approaches greatest eastern elongation on 10 January 2025, Venus brightens to mag. –4.2 and sets 4 hours 15 minutes after sunset.
Mars
- Best time to see: 31 December, 02:00 UT
- Altitude: 60°
- Location: Cancer
- Direction: South
Mars reaches opposition in January 2025. Shining at mag. –0.5 on 1 December, it’s 2° from the Beehive Cluster and shows an 11-arcsecond disc. It reverses its apparent eastward motion on 6 December, thereafter moving west against the background stars. This is known as Mars retrograde.
The Moon occults mag. –0.9 Mars on 18 December in daylight. By the end of December, Mars shines at mag. –1.2 and presents a 14-arcsecond disc when viewed through the eyepiece.
Saturn
- Best time to see: 1 December, 18:30 UT
- Altitude: 28°
- Location: Aquarius
- Direction: South
Saturn’s ability to be seen at its highest position, due south under dark skies is lost from around 10 December, the planet thereafter nudging slowly west of south and losing altitude as it goes.
By month end, it appears 26° above the south-southwest horizon as darkness falls, with Venus rapidly approaching from the west for an encounter on 18 January 2025.
Uranus
- Best time to see: 1 December, 23:00 UT
- Altitude: 56°
- Location: Taurus
- Direction: South
Mag. +5.6 evening planet Uranus reaches its highest point in the sky under darkness all month. Currently located southwest of the Pleiades.
Neptune
- Best time to see: 1 December, 19:20 UT
- Altitude: 35°
- Location: Pisces
- Direction: South
An evening planet, reaching 35° peak altitude under darkness for most of the month. Neptune currently appears at mag. +7.9 south-southwest of the Circlet asterism in Pisces.
If you're observing or imaging the planets in December 2024, share your observations and images with us by emailing contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com.
This article appeared in the December 2024 issue of BBC Sky at Night Magazine.
