Miami Herald Logo

Southern Cross Stargazer for Dec. 7-13, 2014 | Miami Herald

×
  • E-edition
  • Home
    • Site Information
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Herald Store
    • RSS Feeds
    • Special Sections
    • Advertise
    • Advertise with Us
    • Media Kit
    • Mobile
    • Mobile Apps & eReaders
    • Newsletters
    • Social
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Google+
    • Instagram
    • YouTube

    • Sections
    • News
    • South Florida
    • Miami-Dade
    • Broward
    • Florida Keys
    • Florida
    • Politics
    • Weird News
    • Weather
    • National & World
    • Colombia
    • National
    • World
    • Americas
    • Cuba
    • Guantánamo
    • Haiti
    • Venezuela
    • Local Issues
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • In Depth
    • Issues & Ideas
    • Traffic
    • Sections
    • Sports
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Pro & College
    • Miami Dolphins
    • Miami Heat
    • Miami Marlins
    • Florida Panthers
    • College Sports
    • University of Miami
    • Florida International
    • University of Florida
    • Florida State University
    • More Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Auto Racing
    • Fighting
    • Golf
    • Horse Racing
    • Outdoors
    • Soccer
    • Tennis
    • Youth Sports
    • Other Sports
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • The Florida Influencer Series
    • Sections
    • Business
    • Business Monday
    • Banking
    • International Business
    • National Business
    • Personal Finance
    • Real Estate News
    • Small Business
    • Technology
    • Tourism & Cruises
    • Workplace
    • Business Plan Challenge
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Cindy Krischer Goodman
    • The Starting Gate
    • Work/Life Balancing Act
    • Movers
    • Sections
    • Living
    • Advice
    • Fashion
    • Food & Drink
    • Health & Fitness
    • Home & Garden
    • Pets
    • Recipes
    • Travel
    • Wine
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Dave Barry
    • Ana Veciana-Suarez
    • Flashback Miami
    • More Living
    • LGBTQ South Florida
    • Palette Magazine
    • Indulge Magazine
    • South Florida Album
    • Broward Album
    • Sections
    • Entertainment
    • Books
    • Comics
    • Games & Puzzles
    • Horoscopes
    • Movies
    • Music & Nightlife
    • People
    • Performing Arts
    • Restaurants
    • TV
    • Visual Arts
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Jose Lambiet
    • Lesley Abravanel
    • More Entertainment
    • Events Calendar
    • Miami.com
    • Contests & Promotions
    • Sections
    • All Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Op-Ed
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Jim Morin
    • Letters to the Editor
    • From Our Inbox
    • Speak Up
    • Submit a Letter
    • Meet the Editorial Board
    • Influencers Opinion
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Blog Directory
    • Columnist Directory
    • Andres Oppenheimer
    • Carl Hiaasen
    • Leonard Pitts Jr.
    • Fabiola Santiago
    • Obituaries
    • Obituaries in the News
    • Place an Obituary

    • Place an ad
    • All Classifieds
    • Announcements
    • Apartments
    • Auctions/Sales
    • Automotive
    • Commercial Real Estate
    • Employment
    • Garage Sales
    • Legals
    • Merchandise
    • Obituaries
    • Pets
    • Public Notices
    • Real Estate
    • Services
  • Public Notices
  • Cars
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Real Estate
  • Mobile & Apps

  • el Nuevo Herald
  • Miami.com
  • Indulge

Living

Southern Cross Stargazer for Dec. 7-13, 2014

Sunday

At dusk brilliant Venus glows near the spout of the tilted Sagittarian Teapot on the southwestern horizon. During the month, the Evening Star will ascend higher in the western sky. Faded Mars, in Capricornus, lingers in the southwest until 8:30 p.m. Dim Neptune sails high across the southwest in Aquarius. Fomalhaut twinkles below Neptune. Blue-green Uranus drifts across the south in Pisces, the Fish.

Cetus, the Whale, swims across the southeast. Overhead, Aries, the Ram, chases Pegasus, the Winged Horse, westward. Vega leads the vast Summer Triangle lower in the northwest. Cygnus, the Swan, becomes the Northern Cross. The Royal Family reigns in the north: King Cepheus, Queen Cassiopeia, their daughter Andromeda with the Andromeda Galaxy, and Perseus, Hero.

Capella guides Auriga, the Charioteer, higher in the northeast. The delicate Seven Sisters (Pleiades) lead Taurus, the Bull, higher in the east-northeast. Aldebaran (the Bull’s red eye) winks from the V-shaped Hyades cluster (Bull’s face).

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to the Miami Herald

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

Mid-evening, gigantic Orion, the Hunter, reclines in the east before his nocturnal pursuit of the Bull. The Great Orion Nebula (stellar nursery) is spectacular in telescopes. Newborn stars are visible in the nebula, 173 trillion miles in diameter. The moon rises near Orion. Procyon, Little Dog in the east, follows Orion. Brilliant blue Sirius sparkles in Orion’s Big Dog in the southeast.

Late evening, bright Jupiter rises higher in the east beside Leo, the Lion. The Big Dipper appears in the northeast.

Wednesday

Tonight the bright waning moon floats 9 degrees below the dim Beehive cluster and 7 degrees from Regulus in Leo, the Lion.

Thursday

Before dawn, silver Saturn emerges above the southeastern horizon in Libra. Spica, in Virgo, rises higher in the southeast. Corvus, the Crow, flies into the south. Bright Jupiter, the moon and the Lion are overhead. Arcturus, a red giant star, sparkles in the northeast.

The Big Dipper hangs in the north. Its bowl always faces Polaris, the North Star. Capella steers the Charioteer into the northwest. Orion leans toward the western horizon. Brilliant Sirius sparkles in the Big Dog in the southwest, trailed by the Pups in the south.

Saturday

The major Geminid Meteor Shower may produce early meteors by mid-evening. The shower may be underway before moonrise around midnight. The Geminids radiate from the Gemini Twins rising in the northeast late evening and may produce 80 meteors per hour before dawn Sunday. Geminid Meteors will continue to be visible Sunday evening until dawn Monday.

Weather permitting, Southern Cross Astros will host a MeteorWatch from 8:30 to 11 p.m. at Bill Sadowski Park on Southwest 176th Street west of Old Cutler Road. Optical equipment is not needed. High-tech equipment will be focused on planets and winter constellations. Bring chairs, blankets, jackets and hot beverages. No lights, alcohol or pets are allowed in the park, and tickets will be issued to cars parked on private property on 79th Avenue. Detauls at 305-661-1375 or scas.org.

Compiled by Barb Yager, Southern Cross Astronomical Society, 305-661-1375, scas.org.

  Comments  

Videos

Is it cold enough to get ramen noodles to freeze and suspend chopsticks?

The FDA warns against injectable silicone

View More Video

Trending Stories

It’s not so hard for an immigrant to become a U.S. citizen. Here’s what you have to do

February 20, 2019 01:20 PM

Think Florida is a ‘sinful’ place to live? You’re right, according to this new study

February 20, 2019 01:18 PM

Americans arrested in Haiti driving around with an arsenal are flown to the U.S.

February 20, 2019 06:54 PM

Cuts are coming for Dolphins’ receivers, but there’s one their new coach raves about

February 19, 2019 12:31 PM

Here are two young players the new Dolphins staff really likes. And two issues looming

February 20, 2019 04:00 PM

Read Next

Kids love e-cigs and hookahs — but they won’t love what they’re doing to their hearts

Health & Fitness

Kids love e-cigs and hookahs — but they won’t love what they’re doing to their hearts

By Caitlin Granfield

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 21, 2019 07:30 AM

E-cigarettes, aka vape pens, and hookahs are popular among teens, who may view vaping as a safer way to use tobacco. But e-cigs and hookahs contain harmful ingredients, cause addiction and are bad for the heart.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to the Miami Herald

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE LIVING

Did your father have a heart attack? Knowing your family history can save your life

Health & Fitness

Did your father have a heart attack? Knowing your family history can save your life

February 21, 2019 06:30 AM

Home & Garden

Chic design and doggy spas: Some suburban apartments hope to lure Chicagoans with city-style amenities

February 21, 2019 03:00 AM

Home & Garden

On Gardening: Magnolia magic happening across the Southeast

February 21, 2019 03:00 AM
Here’s why Hialeah company Gilda recalled three lots of one of its desserts

Food & Drink

Here’s why Hialeah company Gilda recalled three lots of one of its desserts

February 20, 2019 07:45 PM
It’s known as the ‘Silent Killer.’ How high blood pressure is impacting the black community

Health & Fitness

It’s known as the ‘Silent Killer.’ How high blood pressure is impacting the black community

February 20, 2019 04:35 PM
Hispanics are more likely to get diabetes. And that’s not good for their hearts

Health & Fitness

Hispanics are more likely to get diabetes. And that’s not good for their hearts

February 20, 2019 07:15 AM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Miami Herald App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Public Insight Network
  • Reader Panel
Advertising
  • Place a Classified
  • Media Kit
  • Commercial Printing
  • Public Notices
Copyright
Commenting Policy
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story