Constellations in December
The following constellations can best be observed in the month of December at a geographical latitude of 47° North (Switzerland).
| IAU Name | English Name | Opposition | Season | Declination | DSO | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andromeda (And) | Chained Maiden | 4 October | Jun … Feb | +53.2° | +21.7° | 25 |
| Antlia (Ant) | Air Pump | 17 February | Dec … Apr | -24.5° | -40.4° | 0 |
| Aquarius (Aqr) | Water Bearer | 28 August | Jul … Dec | +3.3° | -24.9° | 7 |
| Aries (Ari) | Ram | 4 November | Aug … Feb | +31.2° | +10.4° | 5 |
| Auriga (Aur) | Charioteer | 19 December | Aug … Apr | +56.2° | +27.9° | 19 |
| Bootes (Boo) | Herdsman | 2 May | Dec … Sep | +55.0° | +7.4° | 4 |
| Caelum (Cae) | Engraving Tool | 2 December | Oct … Jan | -27.0° | -48.7° | 1 |
| Camelopardalis (Cam) | Giraffe | 21 December | Sep … Mar | +86.1° | +52.7° | 12 |
| Cancer (Cnc) | Crab | 27 January | Nov … May | +33.1° | +6.5° | 5 |
| Canis Maior (CMa) | Great Dog | 2 January | Nov … Feb | -11.0° | -33.3° | 7 |
| Canis Minor (CMi) | Lesser Dog | 12 January | Oct … Apr | +13.2° | -0.4° | 3 |
| Cassiopeia (Cas) | Seated Queen | 8 October | Jul … Jan | +77.7° | +46.7° | 42 |
| Cepheus (Cep) | King | 25 August | May … Dec | +88.7° | +53.4° | 29 |
| Cetus (Cet) | Sea Monster | 18 October | Sep … Dec | +10.5° | -24.9° | 12 |
| Columba (Col) | Dove | 18 December | Nov … Feb | -27.1° | -43.1° | 1 |
| Coma Berenices (Com) | Bernice's Hair | 30 March | Dec … Jul | +33.3° | +13.3° | 24 |
| Cygnus (Cyg) | Swan | 29 July | Mar … Dec | +61.4° | +27.7° | 40 |
| Eridanus (Eri) | River | 23 November | Sep … Feb | +0.4° | -57.9° | 2 |
| Fornax (For) | Furnace | 6 November | Nov … Jan | -23.8° | -39.5° | 4 |
| Gemini (Gem) | Twins | 6 January | Oct … Apr | +35.4° | +9.8° | 12 |
| Lacerta (Lac) | Lizard | 28 August | May … Dec | +56.9° | +35.2° | 3 |
| Leo (Leo) | Lion | 27 February | Nov … May | +33.0° | -6.7° | 16 |
| Leo Minor (LMi) | Lesser Lion | 21 February | Oct … Jun | +41.4° | +22.8° | 6 |
| Lepus (Lep) | Hare | 14 December | Oct … Feb | -10.8° | -27.3° | 4 |
| Lynx (Lyn) | Lynx | 17 January | Nov … Apr | +62.0° | +33.0° | 11 |
| Lyra (Lyr) | Lyre | 2 July | Feb … Dec | +47.7° | +25.7° | 7 |
| Monoceros (Mon) | Unicorn | 2 January | Oct … Mar | +11.9° | -11.4° | 19 |
| Orion (Ori) | Hunter | 14 December | Sep … Mar | +22.9° | -11.0° | 21 |
| Pegasus (Peg) | Winged Horse | 4 September | Jun … Dec | +36.6° | +2.3° | 19 |
| Perseus (Per) | Hero | 16 November | Aug … Mar | +59.1° | +30.9° | 21 |
| Pisces (Psc) | Fishes | 4 October | Jul … Jan | +33.7° | -6.3° | 7 |
| Puppis (Pup) | Stern | 13 January | Nov … Feb | -11.3° | -51.1° | 10 |
| Pyxis (Pyx) | Compass | 31 January | Dec … Mar | -17.4° | -37.3° | 2 |
| Sculptor (Scl) | Sculptor | 30 September | Aug … Dec | -24.8° | -39.4° | 5 |
| Sextans (Sex) | Sextant | 19 February | Dec … May | +6.4° | -11.7° | 1 |
| Taurus (Tau) | Bull | 28 November | Aug … Mar | +31.1° | -1.3° | 11 |
| Triangulum (Tri) | Triangle | 26 October | Jun … Mar | +37.3° | +25.6° | 7 |
| Ursa Maior (UMa) | Great Bear | 27 February | Nov … Jul | +73.1° | +28.3° | 24 |
| Ursa Minor (UMi) | Little Bear | 9 May | Jan … Dec | +90.0° | +65.4° | 1 |
| Vulpecula (Vul) | Fox | 24 July | Mar … Dec | +29.5° | +19.4° | 17 |
Opposition: The center of the constellation asterism is in opposition to the Sun on this day, i. e., it is at its highest point in the sky at local midnight. — Season: During these months, the constellation can be observed at night at a geographical latitude of 47° North. In the case of circumpolar constellations, these are near the zenith. — Declination: Northern and southern extent of the IAU constellation boundaries. — DSO: Number of described deep-sky objects.