If you’re a fan of splitting double stars with your telescope, head over to Aries (the Ram), which makes its appearance this month, bordered by the star I patterns of Taurus (the Bull), Pisces (the Fishes) and Cetus (the Whale). In particular, binary star systems Lambda Arietis, Epsilon Arietis and Mesarthim are splendid targets to resolve for astronomers with medium to large-sized telescopes. Meanwhile, orange giants Hamal (the Head of the Ram) and Botein (Little Belly) can be picked out using nothing more than the naked eye. Orion (the Hunter) is also prominent in the December skies, featuring red supergiant Betelgeuse, De Mairan’s Nebula (Messier 43) and the stunning Orion Nebula (Messier 42).
Using the sky chart