Tonight marks the final full moon and final meteor shower of the year. As of noon satellite images showed clear skies across much of Maine but it’s going to be a race to see if the clouds make it into the area before moonrise this evening.
Clear skies continue across Maine this afternoon. Clouds will increase this evening.
The rest of December promises many night sky objects, though clouds – and perhaps some cold temperatures – may hamper the shows.
Get ready for another supermoon
The term “supermoon” is used for those full moons that occur when the distance between Earth and the moon are smaller than is typically the case. The third supermoon in a row will take place tonight. The moon will be full just after 7 p.m., and if there aren’t a lot of clouds, it could illuminate many of Maine’s more rural areas.
Here comes the year’s final meteor shower
Tuesday night will also mark the peak of a meteor shower called the Geminids. Because the full moon will be about 30 percent brighter than a typical one, the light will interfere with the show. This doesn’t mean you won’t be able to see the meteors, just that the dimmer ones will be drowned out by the light of the moon.
The best place to see the meteor shower will be somewhere dark with an unobstructed view of the sky. The best time will be late at night – probably after midnight. Check local forecasts for sky conditions, and don’t bother heading out if it appears it will be cloudy.
Multiple planets are visible
You may have noticed a bright star-like object in the evening sky over the past several weeks. This is Venus. It’s very easy to spot in the western sky but, unlike stars, planets don’t twinkle. Mars is located just above Venus and it really does have a reddish glow.
If you’re an early riser, you can find Jupiter in the morning sky. Almost any telescope is powerful enough to see at least four of Jupiter’s moons. Galileo discovered these way back in 1610, long before the high-powered optics we have today.
Venus is easily seen in the evening on any clear night right now.
The king tides are back
Just like we experienced in October and November, several king tides are coming this week because the moon is closer to Earth. Portland and other coastal areas will have a 12-foot tide during one tide cycle each day through Friday. This means more coastal shore roads may flood a bit during the time of high tide, which occurs mid to late morning all week.
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