Whitby & District Astronomical Society

The date of the Vernal Equinox and of astronomical spring in the northern hemisphere (the official start of spring) falls on March 20th this year.  This is when the Sun's path (‘the ecliptic’) first crosses the celestial equator on its apparent journey northwards into the sky.  The orientation of the Earth at the spring or autumnal equinox is such that neither of Earth’s poles are inclined toward the Sun and all locations experience equal hours of daylight and darkness; hence the term equinox. [Read more about The Spring Equinox]

Continuing the tour of stellar objects crossing the meridian line this month: Cursa: the most northerly star of the River constellation Eridanus. [Read more about Crossing the Line: objects of the month]

Continuing the tour of stellar objects crossing the meridian line this month: Capella from the constellation Auriga - the sixth brightest star in the night sky; and Epsilon Aurigae - an unusual binary system that lies just below it. [Read more about Crossing the Line: objects of the month]

In this month's edition:

• Planetary Skylights: PM: Saturn, Moon, Mars, Neptune, Uranus.  AM: Venus, Mercury, Jupiter
• Meteors: Geminids, Ursids
• Comets: Comet 46P/Wirtanen
• Winter Solstice: 21^st December
• December 2018 Sky Charts