Bootleg Astronomers

The Bootleg Star Party Registration Form is available HERE (pre-registration deadline is TBD, 2026) 12th)

*** Due to the number of people doing imaging at the Bootleg Star Parties, Bootleg Management is indicating that Green Lasers will not be permitted starting one hour after sunset ***

4	Moon, Uranus and the Pleiades within 5.0° circle at 1h UT (evening sky). Mag. 5.6. Near Full Moon.
4	Moon near the Pleiades at 4h UT (evening sky).
4	Moon at perigee (closest to Earth) at 11:11 UT (distance 356,963km; angular size 33.5').
4	Full Moon at 23:14 UT. Supermoon. • Supermoon (Wikipedia)
6	Moon near M35 Cluster at 7h UT (morning sky).
7	Moon near Castor at 11h UT (morning sky).
7	Moon near Pollux at 17h UT (morning sky).
7	Moon near Jupiter at 18h UT (morning sky). Mag. −2.6.
7	Mercury at westernmost elongation at 21h UT (21° from Sun, morning sky). Mag. −0.4.
8	Moon near Beehive Cluster (M44) at 17h UT (morning sky).
10	Moon near Regulus at 9h UT (morning sky).
11	Last Quarter Moon at 20:52 UT.
14	Geminid Meteor Shower peaks in a broad maximum centred at 8h UT over 10−12 hours. Active December 4−17. Produces bright, medium-speed meteors (100+ meteors/hour) at its peak. The best and most reliable of the major annual showers. • Geminids (Wikipedia) • Geminids (American Meteor Society) • 2025 Meteor Shower Calendar (PDF) (International Meteor Organization)
14	Moon near Spica at 17h UT (morning sky).
17	Moon at apogee (farthest from Earth) at 6h UT (distance 406,322km; angular size 29.4').
18	Moon near Mercury at 11h UT (18° from Sun, morning sky). Mag. −0.5.
18	Moon near Antares at 14h UT (17° from Sun, morning sky).
19	Mercury 5.5° NNE of Antares at 21h UT (18° from Sun, morning sky). Mags. −0.5 and 1.0.
20	New Moon at 1:43 UT. Start of lunation 1274.
21	December solstice at 15:01 UT. The time when the Sun reaches the point farthest south of the celestial equator marking the start of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and summer in the Southern Hemisphere. • December Solstice (Wikipedia)
27	Moon near Saturn at 1h UT (evening sky). Mag. 1.2.
27	First Quarter Moon at 19:10 UT.
31	Moon, Uranus and the Pleiades within 5.2° circle at 11h UT (evening sky). Mag. 5.6.

>>> All times Universal Time (UT). USA Central Standard Time = UT-6 hours. (DST = UT-5 hrs,)

Zodiacal Light is caused by sunlight reflected off meteoric dust in the plane of the solar system. Choose a clear, moonless night, about 1-2 hours after sunset, and look for a large triangular-shaped glow extending up from the horizon (along the ecliptic). The best months to view the Zodiacal Light is when the ecliptic is almost vertical at the horizon: March and April (evening) and October-November (morning); times reversed for the southern hemisphere.
• Zodiacal Light (Wikipedia)
• Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD)
• Photographing the Zodiacal Light (Weatherscapes)