This week’s night sky highlights include bright Jupiter rising in the east-northeast shortly after dark, shining brilliantly as it moves retrograde toward its January 10 opposition. Sirius and Procyon appear in the evening, with their relative heights varying by latitude. Winter begins on December 21 with the solstice, bringing the longest nights. The crescent Moon traverses the evening sky, joining Saturn for a close conjunction on December 26, and reaches first quarter on the 27th. Orion, Aldebaran with the Hyades, and the Pleiades dominate the east. Saturn remains bright with nearly edge-on rings, while Uranus and Neptune are evening telescope targets. Merry Christmas! https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/observing-news/this-weeks-sky-at-a-glance-december-19-28/