Welcome the Winter Sky 2025

Hello All:

Every year on Thanksgiving Day, as the feasting concludes and the warmth of family settles in, there’s a quiet tradition: stepping outside to greet the majesty of the cosmos. After a day spent looking down at plates and across tables, Thanksgiving evening is the perfect moment to finally look up.

The holiday marks the turning point. The air is crisp, the nights are long, and the hazy glare of summer is gone, replaced by the brilliant, sharp clarity of the winter sky. This is when the brightest stars in our hemisphere take center stage, a magnificent celestial procession that deserves your attention.

So, before you settle in for the night, I encourage you: bundle up, pour a hot drink, and step outside. Take a moment to stand in the stillness, let your eyes adjust, and welcome the glittering cold fire of the Winter Sky.

Here is your sky forecast for the upcoming season, guiding you through all the marvels from December 2025 through March 2026 (Northern Hemisphere view).

The Winter Sky Forecast: December 2025 – March 2026

The backbone of the winter sky is a collection of brilliant, unmistakable constellations known as the Winter Hexagon (or Winter Circle). This asterism is dominated by the Hunter, Orion, who rises in the southeast and slowly treks across the southern sky. Look for Orion's famous three-star belt, which points down to the brightest star in the entire sky, Sirius, in the constellation Canis Major (the Big Dog). To complete your tour, look for the V-shape of the Hyades and the dazzling tiny cluster of the Pleiades (the Seven Sisters) in Taurus (the Bull).

Here's a more detailed description of the celestial objects involved:

Orion (The Hunter) includes a blue supergiant star named Rigel that marks Orion's left foot (from our perspective). It is one of the brightest stars in the night sky. Then we have Betelgeuse, a red supergiant star that marks Orion's right shoulder. It is known for its distinctive reddish hue and is one of the largest stars visible to the naked eye. Don't forget Orion's Belt, a distinctive feature consisting of three stars in a straight line—Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka. These stars point down to Sirius, the brightest star in the sky.

Sirius (Alpha Canis Majoris): Located in the constellation Canis Major (the Big Dog), Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. It is often referred to as the "Dog Star" and is part of the Winter Hexagon.

Procyon (Alpha Canis Minoris): Found in the constellation Canis Minor (the Little Dog), Procyon is the eighth brightest star in the night sky and is another key component of the Winter Hexagon. 

Aldebaran (Alpha Tauri): Located in the constellation Taurus (the Bull), Aldebaran is a red giant star and the fourteenth brightest star in the night sky. It marks the eye of the bull.

Castor and Pollux: Located in the constellation Gemini (the Twins), Castor is a multiple star system and is the second brightest star in Gemini.  Also in Gemini, Pollux is an orange giant star and is the brightest star in the constellation.

Capella (Alpha Aurigae): Found in the constellation Auriga (the Charioteer), Capella is the sixth brightest star in the night sky and is a yellow giant star.

Don't forget the Pleiades (Seven Sisters): This gem is a must! A small, bright open star cluster in Taurus. It is one of the most recognizable star clusters and is visible as a tiny, dazzling group of stars.

The Hyades: A V-shaped open star cluster in the constellation Taurus. It is the nearest open cluster to Earth and is easily visible to the naked eye.

Here is our yearly forecast of winter sky for 2025/2026:

December 2025

Planets & Highlights:

Venus, the Evening Star: The brightest planet, Venus, will be shining spectacularly low in the southwestern sky right after sunset all month long, a perfect target to spot right after your Thanksgiving dinner.

Mercury: For early risers, the elusive planet Mercury reaches its Greatest Western Elongation on December 7, making it briefly visible low on the eastern horizon just before sunrise.

Jupiter: Look for the giant planet rising late in the evening and dominating the pre-dawn sky, shining with stunning clarity.

The Geminids: The highlight of the month is often considered the best meteor shower of the year. The Geminid Meteor Shower peaks on the night of December 13–14. With the Moon being a thin crescent, viewing conditions are excellent. You could see up to 120 slow, bright meteors per hour radiating from the constellation Gemini.

The Winter Solstice: Winter officially begins on December 21, marking the shortest day and the longest night—more hours of darkness for stargazing!

The Cold Moon & Pleiades: The Full Moon on December 4 (often called the Cold Supermoon) will pass in front of (or occult) the Pleiades star cluster, a unique event to watch with binoculars.

interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS.

It's been making headlines because of its inexplicable speed increase and shift in trajectory—what astronomers call non-gravitational acceleration—which some have wildly speculated could be an artificial engine. However, the prevailing scientific consensus, supported by recent radio signal detections, is that this "propulsion" is a natural phenomenon caused by outgassing (like a jet) as volatile ices on the comet's surface are vaporized by the Sun.

Here is the information on when it will be visible:

Visibility Window: Comet 3I/ATLAS has just reappeared from behind the Sun's glare. The best time for observation will be from late November 2025 through January 2026.

Closest to Earth: It will make its closest approach to Earth on December 19, 2025, although it will still be about 269 million kilometers away.

How to See It: It is not expected to be visible to the naked eye. You will need at least a small telescope or a good pair of large binoculars to spot it.

Location: Look low in the eastern pre-dawn sky as it emerges from behind the Sun, near the constellation Sagittarius.

January 2026

Planets & Highlights:

Jupiter: Remains the reigning champion of the night sky, easily dominating the evening and nighttime hours.

Moon & Saturn Occultation: A fascinating event occurs on January 4, when the Moon will pass extremely close to the planet Saturn, potentially occulting (hiding) it for some viewers. A memorable sight to kick off the new year.

The Quadrantids: The Quadrantid Meteor Shower peaks on the night of January 3–4. While one of the most prolific showers, unfortunately, the nearly full moon will wash out all but the brightest meteors this year. Look for them after midnight.

Mars Near the Moon: The Moon passes very close to the red planet Mars on January 14, a great chance to see the two contrasting bodies near each other.

February 2026

Planets & Highlights:

Venus at its Brightest: Venus reaches its peak brilliance around February 16. Look for the dazzling planet in the western sky shortly after sunset. It will be an unmissable point of light—brighter than any star.

Jupiter: Continues to be a fantastic target for viewing or telescoping in the evening sky, located within the constellation of Gemini.

Deep Sky Marvels: With a New Moon on February 17, this is the perfect time for deep-sky observation. Use binoculars or a telescope to hunt down the Great Orion Nebula (M42), a star-forming region glowing brightly below Orion's belt, or the colossal Andromeda Galaxy (M31) high in the northwest sky.

March 2026

Planets & Highlights:

The Red Planet: Mars is still very bright and prominent, shining with a reddish-yellow hue in the constellation of Gemini and easily visible throughout the evening.

Jupiter: Remains a bright sight in the western sky, but is beginning its annual shift closer to the sun, so catch it while you can!

Saturn Returns: The ringed planet Saturn is lost to the sun's glare early in the month but begins to re-emerge in the early morning sky low on the eastern horizon toward the end of March.

Vernal Equinox: The season officially changes on March 20, marking the first day of spring and the return to roughly equal hours of day and night.

May this be a winter filled with clear skies and the unforgettable wonder of the cosmos. Happy Thanksgiving, and happy stargazing!