Downloadable version of the newsletter in PDF Format
(Right click and select "Save target as" to begin download.)
(Always check the PDF link above if the web page is not updated.
I always publish the PDF before I upload the web page.) PDF updated 1st of every month!
For amateur radio operators and scanner enthusiasts around the world, please join the Colorado Astronomy Net on the Rocky Mountain Radio League'sK1DUN repeater on 449.450 MHz or other digital and analog repeaters, Allstar nodes, Echolinks, DMR and internet links connected to the SKYHUBLINK system. The net meets on Tuesday nights at 7 P.M. Mountain Time (US) (Wednesday at 0200 GMT). Connecting to the SkyHubLink system has expanded our coverage in the U.S., Canada and internationally. All Amateur radio operators worldwide are welcome. Anyone may listen to the net. The RMRL provides a "Live Audio Feed" using Broadcastify.
Obtain your Amateur Radio (Ham) License or your General Radio Operator's License (GROL)! Visit the South Metro VE Team website for more information. The South Metro VE Team provides test sessions by appointment only. Check the website for current information. All others interested in Amateur Radio, check out the Amateur Radio Relay League website to find out more information about becoming an Amateur Radio operator.
Donate to the IAAS!
Your contributions are tax deductible.
Thank you for your support!
Excerpts from JPL mission updates are provided as a public service as part
of the JPL Solar System Ambassador/NASA Outreach program.
For special JPL programs and presentations in your area visit the JPL Solar System Ambassador website.
(Click on the logo to link to the JPL SSA homepage.)
"Jupiter looks finest when at opposition, and this year promises to be particularly dazzling. The Hubble Space Telescope snapped this shot of the gas giant just before opposition in 2017." Astronomy Magazine, December 2024, p. 28. - NASA, ESA and A. Simon (NASA Goddard)
Planetary Reports generated by "TheSkyX" software. These reports provide predicted data for the planets for the first of each month for the current year. The rise and set times for the Sun and the Moon for each day of the month as well as meteor shower radiants are also included in the reports. These reports have been optimized for the Denver, Colorado location, however, the times will be approximate for other locations on Earth.
(Times are Mountain Daylight Time (MDT/MST) unless otherwise noted. Times will vary slightly depending on your location.)
"Jupiter reaches its best apparition in a decade for northern observers and offers a wealth of detail. Joining in late evening is brilliant Mars, now a month from opposition. Saturn is visible in the early evening, along with Venus soon after sunset. Uranus and Neptune remain visible with binoculars, and Mercury makes a fine morning appearance." Astronomy Magazine, December 2024, p. 28.
Is in inferior conjunction on the 5th. Mercury is stationary on the 15th. Mercury is at greatest western elongation (22°) on the 24th. Mercury sets at 5:10 p.m. on the 1st. After conjunction, Mercury returns to the morning sky. Mercury rises about 5:49 a.m. by month's end. Mercury is visible about 30 minutes before sunrise just above the southeastern horizon after the second week of December. Mercury is in the constellation of Ophiuchus shining at magnitude -0.4 on the 31st.
Sets about 7:37 p.m. on the 1st and about 8:37 p.m. by month's end. Look for Venus to the southwest about 30 minutes after sunset. Venus moves from the constellation of Sagittarius into Aquarius shining at magnitude -4.3 on the 15th.
Rises at 8:31 p.m. on the 1st and about 6:02 p.m. by month's end. Mars is stationary on the 7th. Look for Mars to the southeast in the evening. Follow Mars across the sky almost all night long. Mars is in the constellation of Cancer shining at magnitude -0.8.
Is at opposition on the 7th, rising as the Sun sets. Jupiter rises at 4:56 p.m. on the 1st and about 2:39 p.m. by month's end. Jupiter is easy to spot to the east in the evening sky. Follow Jupiter across the sky for the rest of the evening and into the early morning hours. Jupiter is in the constellation of Taurus shining at magnitude -2.8.
Sets at 11:48 p.m. on the 1st and about 9:54 p.m. by month's end. By the time the Sun sets, Saturn is high to the southwest. Saturn is in the constellation of Aquarius shining at magnitude 1.0.
Sets at 5:54 a.m. on the 1st and about 3:47 a.m. by month's end. Look for Uranus to the south soon after sunset. Uranus is in the constellation of Taurus shining at magnitude 5.6.
Sets at 1:04 a.m. on the 1st and about 10:59 p.m. by the month's end. Look for Neptune to the southwest following Saturn by less than 90 minutes all month. Neptune is in the constellation of Pisces shining at magnitude 7.7.
Sets at 7:42 p.m. on the 1st and about 6:41 p.m. by month's end. Ceres is visible in the evening sky to the southwest. Ceres moves from the constellation of Sagittarius into Capricornus shining at magnitude 9.3.
Sets at 8:05 p.m. on the 1st and about 6:07 p.m. by month's end. Pluto is visible in the evening sky to the southwest. Pluto is in the constellation of Capricornus shining at magnitude 15.3.
As always, good luck at spotting Neptune, Ceres and Pluto, a large telescope and dark skies will be needed.
Constellation information provided by Go Astronomy.
The Geminids - This shower is active during the period December 6 to December 19. Upon reaching maximum activity during December 13 to 14, hourly rates are typically near 80. The meteors are described as rapid and yellowish, with about 4% displaying persistent trains. They possess an average magnitude of 2.4.
The Ursids - Occurring primarily between December 17 and 24, this meteor shower reaches maximum on December 22... The maximum hourly rate is usually between 10 and 15... Meteors belonging to this stream are typically faint.
For more information about Meteor Showers, visit Gary Kronk's
Meteor Showers Online web page.
Meteor Scatter (or Meteor burst communications) - "is a radio propagation mode that exploits the ionized trails of meteors during atmospheric entry to establish brief communications paths between radio stations up to 2,250 kilometres (1,400 mi) apart." Tune your shortwave or your HF amateur radio to 54.310 MHz SSB and see if you can hear any pings. Try other frequencies as well... 6m FT8 digital - 50.313 Mhz & 50.276 Mhz, JP-65 digital mode and the carrier frequencies of the lower VHF bands for TV channels 2, 3 & 4.
CometC/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) has dimmed to 8th magnitude this month. You'll need a clear western horizon and dark skies to spot the comet about 90 minutes after sunset. Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS moves along the southwestern horizon passing through the constellation of Aquila.
For information, orbital elements and ephemerides on observable comets, visit
Observable Comets.
For more information about Comets, visit Gary Kronk's
Cometography.com webpage.
In this section I will post meteor, fireball, etc sightings that have been published on the American Meteor Society's web site. I want to make this an active section of the web pages and newsletter and would like to publish the links to member sightings. If you have any published sightings, please provide me with the links and I will post them here for all to enjoy.
I have created a web page containing images taken and submitted by subscribers (or special images) to the email newsletter, check-ins to the Colorado Astronomy Net and readers of the online newsletter. Any one wishing to submit their own images to the gallery, please let me know. The images must be taken by the submitter and be astronomy related. Please include a description and your information so that I can give proper credit to your work.
Featured Images
Our Sun Courtesy of Bryan Gunsher (K6SKI)
Images taken November 2024
Mars on the Go! NASA Be A Martian Mobile App
If you want the latest news as it happens, try out the "Be A Martian" app.
Download on Mobile Devices Android | iPhone | Windows Phone
JMARS is an acronym that stands for Java Mission-planning and Analysis for Remote Sensing. It is a geospatial information system (GIS) developed by ASU's Mars Space Flight Facility to provide mission planning and data-analysis tools to NASA's orbiters, instrument team members, students of all ages, and the general public.
Colorado Springs Astronomical Society - The Colorado Springs Astronomical Society (CSAS) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the enjoyment of the nighttime sky.
Denver Astronomical Society - The Deep Space Exploration Society is a Colorado based nonprofit organization dedicated to practical astronomy and space science education for students, the general public, and society members.
Deep Space Exploration Society - Promotes the enjoyment and understanding of astronomical phenomena, history and lore by providing educational and observing opportunities for our members, general public, and outreach activities at the University of Denver's historic Chamberlin Observatory, schools, and nature centers.
Little Thompson Observatory - Begin or sustain your interest in astronomy at LTO! The night sky is wondrous, filled with countless swirling galaxies, the planets, the moon and so much more. Many of these sights are easily visible from Earth, but few people have witnessed them personally.
The Little Thompson Observatory can change that for you. Our mission is to help people of all ages learn about the universe by offering a first-hand experience with astronomy...
Northern Colorado Astronomical Society - The Northern Colorado Astronomical Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the science of astronomy and to encourage and coordinate activities of amateur astronomers.
SkyWatchers - Coal Creek Canyon Sky Watchers - Coal Creek Canyon Sky Watchers is an astronomy and space exploration group that features expert presenters on topics such as the exploration of the Moon, Mars and other planets, international space exploration missions, as well as other astronomy topics. We established Sky Watchers in 2014 and usually have about 35 attendees at our meetings.
Southern Colorado Astronomical Society - The Southern Colorado Astronomical Society, CSU-P and the Pueblo Nature and Raptor Center welcomes everyone to participate in the discovery of our night sky.
Star Light-Star Bright Observatory - The observatory is part of the nonprofit National Space Science & Technology Institute's education and public outreach program.
The goal of the Star Light—Star Bright Observatory, is to put the universe within reach of primary grade students and their teachers; along with being an educational asset for the community. The observatory is an educational project that was established in 2004 to serve young and old alike and provides the only free access to viewing the universe in the Pikes Peak Region.
AMSAT - The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, or AMSAT, is a worldwide group of Amateur Radio Operators (Hams)... AMSAT's goal is to foster Amateur Radio's participation in space research and communication.
Radio JOVE Project - Radio JOVE students and amateur scientists observe and analyze natural radio emissions of Jupiter, the Sun, and our galaxy.
Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers - The Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers (SARA) is an international society of dedicated enthusiasts who teach, learn, trade technical information, and do their own observations of the radio sky.
"TheSky" - Astronomy Software by Software Bisque. It's where discoveries are made. Where astronomers unravel the mysteries and reveal the beauty of space. At the heart of this search lies Software Bisque and its family of precision-crafted robotic telescope mounts, astronomy software solutions and embedded systems. Tools that help quench the astronomers' thirst for scientific breakthrough and personal enrichment the world over.
A Sea of Stars - Voyages of a Merchant Mariner & Amateur Astronomer - I'm a retired Navy veteran, currently sailing with the US Navy's Military Sealift Command as an Operations Chief. My dominant interests are science (esp. astronomy), history and photography, and I enjoy naval and military wargaming WHEN I can find the time.
A Short Guide to Celestial Navigation - Celestial navigation is the art and science of finding one's geographic position by means of astronomical observations, particularly by measuring altitudes of celestial objects — sun, moon, planets, or stars.
American Meteor Society - Provides amateur observers a place to learn about and report meteor, fireball and related sightings.
AstroBackyard - Welcome to the AstroBackyard Backyard of the Week! This is a place where we honor the hard work and dedication put into building an astrophotography rig to capture the glorious night sky. There are many ways to tackle this hobby, with varying types of telescopes, cameras, and mounts with one thing in common — they produce results!
Astrogirl Homepage - Astrogirl.org exists to educate, encourage and promote the hobby of amateur astronomy to people of all ages. It is the goal of this site to provide relevant information and resources to the amateur astronomer as an aid in their enjoyment of the night sky. It is a family-friendly, educational site and has been rated as a safe site for all ages.
Astronomia - Online web applications that use catalogues of astronomical objects. Applications and their description are also prepared in English.
Astronomy Picture of the Day - Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
Citizen Science - Citizen Science Projects - NASA's citizen science projects are collaborations between scientists and interested members of the public.
Clear Skies Observing Guides - CSOG, short for Clear Skies Observing Guides is a new concept in visual amateur astronomy. It is a digital publication that will enable observers to target all deepsky objects and carbon stars within reach of their equipment.
The Constellations of the Night Sky - Good site for finding out more about the 88 constellations and their associated stars. Links to the constellations mentioned in the newsletter can be found on this page.
CosmoQuest - The place where you map other worlds, explore out universe and contribute to science.
iTelescope.net - iTelescope.Net is the world's premier network of Internet connected telescopes, allowing members to take astronomical images of the night sky for the purposes of education, scientific research and astrophotography.
JPL Solar System - Jet Propulsion Laboratory information on our solar system.
K8JTK.ORG - Welcome to the home page of Jeffrey Kopcak. You will find pages and posts I wrote about my hobbies, interests, projects, and things I'm involved in.
Meade Advanced Products Users Group - Mapug-Astronomy Topical Archive & information resource, containing a massive 335 page archive of discussions about Meade equipment, and much more: observatories, observing lists, permanent piers, equatorial wedges, remote operations, software, eyepieces, etc.
NASA - Lunar and Planetary Science - General information, Missions to Comets, Data, Press Releases, Meteors and Meteorites, Other topics of Interest.
NASA Science News - NASA missions, updates, astronomy news, excellent resource.
National Archives info on space exploration - Archives Library Information Center (ALIC) - Space Exploration - Information about the United States' space flight programs, including NASA missions and the astronauts who participate in the efforts to explore space.
SKY-MAP.ORG - The main purpose of SKY-MAP is to consolidate astronomical, astrophysical and other information about different space objects and astrophysical facts.
Slooh - Slooh enables students from kindergarten to college to interface with live telescopes and satellites to learn to explore Earth and space and prepare for careers in space and STEM.
Space.com - Interesting space and astronomy articles.
SpaceLinks/Space Careers - SPACELINKS is a specialist staffing consultancy sourcing and supplying high caliber professionals for a wide range of world class organizations in the Space and Defense industry.
"SpaceRef.com" - SpaceRef's 21 news and reference web sites are designed to allow both the novice and specialist alike to explore outer space and Earth observation.
Space Weather - Check out what the sun is doing as seen from space.
The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Astrophotography - Looking up into the night sky with just your eyes and maybe a telescope is amazing on its own. But it can be even better when you photograph and record it for your memories.
Ultimate Resource Guide for Astronomy - The resources we have provided below cover everything from discussing what astronomy is all the way to social media groups that focus on this popular and interesting topic. Use this resource guide for finding some great sites on astronomy whether you are a teacher looking for lesson plan ideas, a student wanting to brush up on their knowledge, a college student looking for a career or you just love the stars and want the most from your experiences.
UniverseToday - Short, interesting articles about space and related topics.
Wildcat Astronomy - Astrophotography by James Paulson - Planetary and Deep Sky imaging at its best. Check out the Blog as well as the images for tips and tricks of astrophotography.
Much of the information in this newsletter is from
Astronomy® Magazine
(Kalmbach Publishing), JPL mission status reports, the Internet, "Meteor Showers - A descriptive
Catalog" by Gary W. Kronk, Sky & Telescope web pages, and other astronomical sources that I have stashed on my bookshelves.
The author will accept any suggestions, constructive criticisms, and corrections. Please feel free to send me any new links or articles to share as well. I will try to accommodate any reasonable requests. Please feel free to send questions, comments, criticisms, or donations to the email address listed below. Enjoy!
Home of KIØAR
created by Burness F. Ansell, III, Email me IAAS - COO, Director of Aerospace Technologies JPL Solar System Ambassador, Colorado last modified: December 01, 2024