Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

Ephemeris for Monday, December 10th.  The sun will rise at 8:08.  It’ll be up for 8 hours and 53 minutes, setting at 5:02.   The moon, 3 days before new, will rise at 6:01 tomorrow morning.

This morning, if it’s clear look eastward at the moon and planets.  The planet just above the moon is the planet Saturn.  Farther below and to the left is the brilliant planet Venus.  Those with good eyesight or binoculars might spot tiny Mercury.  In the morning we get a preview in the stars of a season or two ahead from what we see in the evening.  Orion, which is rising in the east in the early evening is seen setting in the west at 7 in the morning.  The spring stars are now reigning in the morning sky, and a few summer are peeking above the eastern horizon, pretty much drowned out by the morning twilight.  Next spring Saturn will be little moved from its current position,  It takes it a bit less than 30 years to orbit the sun.

Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan.  They may be different for your location.

Addendum

Saturn and the moon low in the southeast at 6:30 a.m. on December 10, 2012. Created using Stellarium.

Tomorrow morning the moon will pass below Venus.  See this animation below.

Mercury animation from December 4 to thru 12, 2012. Created using Stellarium