Planets of the Month – December 2025

By Erich Karkoschka

Saturn is transiting around 7 pm, later this month at 6 pm, ideally suited for evening observations. Its rings open and brighten up by a factor of three this month, but remain as thin as a line. All moons orbit back and forth on the same line.

Neptune is 3 degrees east of Saturn. On February 15, it will be the minimum in 35 years, less than 1 degree.

Uranus is 4.5 degrees south of the Pleiades. This month is the closest distance during its 84 year orbit.

Jupiter rises at 8 pm, later at 7 pm. It is near Pollux. It is getting close to opposition.

Mercury is very easy to see around 6:15 to 6:30 am. It rises even before twilight starts.

The Moon is back in the evening sky on the Solstice, the 21st, as a thin crescent. The highest Full Moon in its 18-year nodal cycle occurs on New Year’s Day at 11 pm with an altitude of 86 degrees, not far from 90 degrees.

Solar Telescope Observing @ Saguaro NP – East

January 4 @ 1:00 pm 3:00 pm

Join the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association (TAAA) and Saguaro National Park – East for some Sun gazing at the park. We will observe the Sun through telescopes with appropriate filters so you will get to see sunspots, prominences, flares, and more.
The Sun is at its peak in the sunspot cycle so there is LOTS of activity on its surface.

This event is FREE and open to the public, no reservations required.  NPS admission fees apply.

The telescopes will be set up at the Bicycle Ramada next to, or at, the Visitors Center.
This event will most likely be canceled in the event of clouds/rain.

Bernie Stinger

612-396-8839

Saguaro National Park EAST

3693 S Old Spanish Trail
Tucson, AZ 85730 United States
View Venue Website

Stargazing at Oracle State Park

January 17 @ 6:30 pm 8:30 pm

Viewing Location: Kannally Ranch House 

  • Typically a music event prior, check the park’s website below.
  • Star Party telescope viewing (6:30 – 8:30pm)

Information: Great dark skies just north of Tucson at Oracle State Park.
3820 E Wildlife Dr., Oracle, AZ 85623
Star Party open to the Public. Admission fees for entrance into Oracle State Park apply.

Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association will have several telescopes for astronomical viewing. We will be observing the Moon + Planets, Nebulae, Galaxies, and Star Clusters.
Great opportunity to look through a wide variety of telescopes. Weather dependent.

For real-time updates, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook event page:  TAAA Facebook Events page

Also: Check the Oracle State Park website for additional information and activities that day:
Star Party at Oracle State Park | Oracle State Park (azstateparks.com)

Bernie Stinger

612-396-8839

Saguaro National Park EAST

3693 S Old Spanish Trail
Tucson, AZ 85730 United States
View Venue Website

Stargazing at Saguaro NP – West

January 16 @ 7:00 pm 9:00 pm

TAAA invites you to an evening of star gazing at Saguaro National Park – West
Located on the far West side of town on the other side of the Tucson mountains, this location has very dark skies from horizon to horizon. The park has been designated an Urban Night Sky Park in 2023.

The TAAA will have several Telescopes set up to view Stars, Nebula’s, Galaxies, Planets and more starting at 7pm! Telescopes will be arranged around the entrance walkway.

Introductory talks will be given starting at (TBD) by the National Park Service (NPS) prior to telescope viewing. Park staff will guide visitors on short walks through the Javelina Wash to discuss the night sky, and they are also hoping to include Indigenous storytelling.

The stargazing event is free and open to the public, but NPS admission fees apply.
WEATHER DEPENDENT.  Follow the event on our Facebook page for any weather updates or changes:

(4) Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association | Facebook

Bernie Stinger

612-396-8839

Saguaro National Park EAST

3693 S Old Spanish Trail
Tucson, AZ 85730 United States
View Venue Website

Stargazing at Tumacacori National Historical Park

January 10 @ 6:30 pm 8:30 pm

Join TAAA and the National Park Service for an evening of stargazing at Tumacacori National Historical Park .  Address below.
The Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association (TAAA) will have several telescopes with volunteer astronomers, for astronomical viewing, in front of the Old Mission.

We will observe Planets, Nebulae, Galaxies, Star Clusters and lots more. Great opportunity to look through a variety of telescopes.

Event is free, no reservations required, but NPS admission fees apply.

Weather dependent, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook event page: TAAA Facebook Events page for weather updates on day of event.

Bernie Stinger

612-396-8839

Saguaro National Park EAST

3693 S Old Spanish Trail
Tucson, AZ 85730 United States
View Venue Website

Stargazing @ Canoa Ranch

January 9 @ 6:30 pm 8:30 pm

Join the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association (TAAA) and Pima County Conservation Lands and Resources (CLR) for some stargazing at Historic Canoa Ranch.

Our volunteer astronomers with their telescopes will observe planets, star clusters, multiple star systems, nebulae, galaxies, and lots more.

Weather dependent. For real-time updates, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Events Page: Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association | Facebook

FREE but REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED Go to this link to register: https://www.explore.pima.gov/pima/programs and click on the “Environmental Education” square to select. Then use “Stargazing” as a Keyword.
These events fill up quickly.

Bernie Stinger

612-396-8839

Saguaro National Park EAST

3693 S Old Spanish Trail
Tucson, AZ 85730 United States
View Venue Website

Stargazing @ Tohono Chul Park – “Holiday Nights” Event

December 21, 2025 @ 6:00 pm 9:00 pm

Join us at the Tohono Chul Park in Tucson AZ for an evening of stargazing through our telescopes during their “Holiday Nights” event at this historic location.

TAAA will have our Volunteer Astronomers with Telescopes setup and viewing Planets, Nebulas, Galaxies, Star Clusters and more, under the dark skies of Southern Arizona! Look for us around the Horse Pavillion.

For more information check out:
Holiday Nights 2025 – Tohono Chul – Tucson, AZ

Telescope viewing is free but Tohono Chul admission tickets to event are required. (See above link)

Weather dependent. For real-time updates, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Events Page: https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/events

Bernie Stinger

612-396-8839

Saguaro National Park EAST

3693 S Old Spanish Trail
Tucson, AZ 85730 United States
View Venue Website

Stargazing @ Tohono Chul Park – “Holiday Nights” Event

December 14, 2025 @ 6:00 pm 9:00 pm

Join us at the Tohono Chul Park in Tucson AZ for an evening of stargazing through our telescopes during their “Holiday Nights” event at this historic location.

TAAA will have our Volunteer Astronomers with Telescopes setup and viewing Planets, Nebulas, Galaxies, Star Clusters and more, under the dark skies of Southern Arizona! Look for us around the Horse Pavillion.

For more information check out:
Holiday Nights 2025 – Tohono Chul – Tucson, AZ

Telescope viewing is free but Tohono Chul admission tickets to event are required. (See above link)

Weather dependent. For real-time updates, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Events Page: https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/events

Bernie Stinger

612-396-8839

Saguaro National Park EAST

3693 S Old Spanish Trail
Tucson, AZ 85730 United States
View Venue Website

Holiday Observing at Chiricahua Astronomy Complex

December 27 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Have guests or family in town over the Holidays. Join us for a family friendly observing event at our Chiricahua Astronomy Complex, about a 2 hour drive SE of Tucson near the Chiricahua mountains. For a nominal fee, your family or guests can have a guided observing session of the Universe using one or more of our large telescopes. We will observe planets such as Saturn in breath-taking clarity, multiple star systems, star clusters, Nebulae gas clouds, galaxies millions of light-years away, and lots more. Fee is only $25/youth under 15 and $50/adult. To register, please use the below link.

$25 – $50 Price is per person (25 youth, 50 adults) for a two hour group session.

Chiricahua Astronomy Complex

9315 E Perseus Way
Pearce, AZ 85625United States

Holiday Observing Link

Planets of the Month: November 2025

By Erich Karkoschka

Saturn is transiting around 9 pm, later this month at 8 pm, ideally suited for evening observations. Its rings can open up to 27 degrees. In July they were open by only 3 degrees. During the second half of November it is only a minuscule 0.2 degrees. Since they are will illuminated, they show up as a line of no thickness in a telescope. The line has brighter and dimmer parts as the different rings have different brightness.

Neptune is only 4 degrees to the northeast of Saturn. Saturn will pass it on Friday November 16, finishing the triple conjunction between both planets this opposition period. The last one was 1989. The following conjunction in 2061 will be single.

Uranus is in opposition on November 21st. This is the closest opposition to the Pleiades, only 4 degrees to the south. This happens once every 84 years.

Jupiter rises around 9 pm, becoming a better evening object. It is close to Pollux in Gemini.

Venus rises around 6 am during twilight. It remains low before the sun comes up.

Mercury will start its best apparition of 2025 on November 28, lasting for a whole month, rising even before dawn starts.

The first sighting of the moon after New Moon will be on November 21st. It will be difficult to see, even though it is well illuminated two days after new Moon. However, its extreme southern declination of -29 degrees gives it a low elevation above the southwestern horizon.

Comet Lemmon is still a bright comet of magnitude 5 with a significant tail. It sets around 8 pm in Ophiuchus, but this time gets earlier every day by 5 minutes. Its days of visibility are soon over.