Skywatchers: The “Cold Moon” and meteor showers light up 2022 December skies

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The Ursid meteor shower is of shorter duration than the Geminids. It lasts from December 13 to December 24. And it only spits out around 5 to 8 meteors an hour. 

Ursid meteors are linked to 8P/Tuttle. It is an icy comet that orbits around the sun every 13.5 years. 

Anyone who likes to navigate the sky should be aware that December 21 to December 24 will be high visibility viewing. The bright Cold Moon will lose its light as it slowly shrinks during this period. And with any luck, you can see both beautiful meteor showers on any cloudless night until Christmas.

Lunar Occultations

A lunar occultation occurs when a planet disappears behind the moon. In December 2022 this happens twice. On December 5 the lunar occultation of Uranus occurs. On December 8 Mars will take its turn behind the moon.

Keep your telescopes ready it’s going to be a busy month for Skywatchers.