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Hey there, Star Trails listeners, Drew here, and I've got a quick update for you.

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The Star Trails podcast is going to be taking a little holiday break for the next month.

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We'll be back in January with more Star Gazing Tips, Celestial Stories, and updates on all

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the cosmic events coming your way.

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During this hiatus, we're going to take some time to recharge, brainstorm new ideas, and

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make sure we're bringing you the very best Star Gazing content when we return.

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We'll pick up right where we left off, exploring the night sky together.

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In the meantime, keep looking up.

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December has plenty of celestial events to keep Star Gazers entertained.

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Here's a quick guide to what you can expect to see.

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Jupiter is at opposition on December 7th and will be at its closest approach to Earth, making

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it appear brighter and larger in the night sky.

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It will rise in the east after sunset and remain visible all night, positioned among the stars

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of Taurus.

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The Geminid meteor shower peaks around December 13th and 14th.

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While the Geminids are typically a highlight of December, a nearly full moon will make

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conditions less favorable this year.

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Expect to see around 10 to 15 meteors per hour under good viewing conditions.

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The December full moon, known as the Cold Moon, arrives on the 15th and will reach peak

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illumination early in the morning around 4 a.m.

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This bright full moon will dominate the sky, making it a good opportunity for lunar photography.

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The winter solstice is December 21st.

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This marks the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and is a perfect opportunity

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for an extended night of stargazing.

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The Erced meteor shower peaks around December 21st and 22nd.

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Although less active than the Geminids, this smaller meteor shower could produce around

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5 to 10 meteors per hour.

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Just viewed late at night, the waning moon will provide darker skies later in the evening.

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Mercury will reach its greatest western elongation on December 25th, making it easier to spot

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in the morning sky before sunrise.

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So if you're up early on Christmas morning, look to the east-southeast to catch this

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elusive planet.

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How about joining me in a kind of Star Trails book club?

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My pick for December is Night Watch, a practical guide to viewing the universe by Terrence

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Dickinson.

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It's been one of the top astronomy books for more than 20 years and it's a go-to resource

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for stargazers at every level.

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I've never read it myself, so I'll be checking it out this month to enhance my own sky-watching.

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Grab a copy and join me.

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Also if you're a new listener, December is a great time to catch up on our back catalog.

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Visit our website, StarTrails.show, where you can find all of our shows, including transcripts.

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Some of my favorite episodes from the past year include Episode 41, where I took listeners

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inside a local star party.

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Episode 35 is about stargazing while on vacation, and if you want to hear something truly out

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of this world, check out Episode 31, where we listened to some pulsars, the cosmic clocks

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of the universe.

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I'll include links to these episodes in the show notes.

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As always, if you find some value in the show, please share it with a friend.

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We really appreciate it.

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Until next month, clear skies and happy stargazing.