as viewed from central and eastern Africa in the predawn sky on Sunday, December 6, the moon will actually occult – or cover over – Mars. Here are the local occultation times for various places in Africa.

Local times for lunar occultation of Mars on December 6, 2015

Nairobi, Kenya
Occultation begins: 3:30 a.m. EAT
Occultation ends: 4:29 a.m. EAT

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Occultation begins: 3:15a.m. EAT
Occultation ends: 4:31 a.m. EAT

[link to earthsky.org]


The most enviable location for watching the grand sky show on Monday, December 7, is from northwestern North America (Alaska, Yukon, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories). People from that part of the globe can actually watch the moon occult – cover over – Venus for an hour or more in the December 7 predawn/dawn sky. Venus will disappear behind the lit side of the waning crescent moon and then reappear on the lunar dark side an hour or more afterwards.

We give the occultation times for three localities in local time below:

Lunar occultation of Venus on December 7, 2015

Fairbanks, Alaska
Occultation begins: 6:43 a.m. Alaska Standard Time (AKST)
Occultation ends: 7:50 a.m. AKST
Sunrise: 10:33 a.m. AKST

Anchorage, Alaska
Occultation begins: 6:34 a.m. AKST
Occultation ends: 7:47 a.m. AKST
Sunrise: 9:56 a.m. AKST

[link to earthsky.org]