Top astronomy events for December 2025
From the best meteor shower of the year, the Geminids, to the changing seasons on the solstice, here are the top astronomy events for December 2025 calendar.
The Ursid meteor shower is often overlooked because of the holidays and the winter solstice. Look to the skies Sunday night and in the small hours of Monday to catch the last major celestial show this year.
EarthSky says get your eyes on the skies from the evening of Sunday, Dec. 21 to dawn on Monday, Dec. 22.
According to EarthSky, the Ursid can produced about 5-10 per hour most of the time in a dark sky with no moon. Rarely, 100 or more have burst across the sky in an hour.
Will you get to see the show in Mississippi? Here’s what we know about the best places to watch, what the weather could look like.
What’s the best way to see the Ursids in Mississippi?
NASA offers general tips for seeing meteor showers.
- Find an area well away from light pollution and street lights.
- Come prepared for winter temperatures with a sleeping bag, blanket or lawn chair.
- Lie flat on your back and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible. The meteors will appear in the eastern sky near the bright planet Jupiter, NASA said in its December skywatching guide.
It should take less than 30 minutes for your eyes to adapt so that you can see streaking meteors.
The flashy Geminids shower peaked early this month. The American Meteor Society noted they were active Dec. 4-17.
The Quadranids will start around Dec. 28 but don’t peak until the new year. According to AMS, this shower usually produces about 25 per hour and includes bright fireballs. The peak will be hard to watch because of the full moon.
Weather, cloud forecast for Mississippi for Ursid meteor shower
Clouds in the sky could hamper the views.
Here’s the National Weather Service forecast for Sunday night near you:
- Jackson: 47°F with a 20% chance of showers
- Greenwood: 42°F, partly cloudy followed by a 20% chance of rain
- Gulfport: 67°F with a 30% chance of rain
- Hattiesburg: 50°F with a 30% chance of rain
- Oxford: 37°F and partly cloudy
- Starkville: 38°F and partly cloudy
The NWS shared a graphic showing clouds in the forecast over much of Mississippi around midnight Sunday, Dec. 21, as shown by gray shading.
Where are dark sky locations in Mississippi?
Go Astronomy lists some of the best places for seeing the night sky without light pollution in Mississippi.
Places that have a Bortle dark-sky scale score are provided. The nine-tier system ranks a three as a rural night sky and a one as an excellent dark sky.
- Bienville National Forest: Bortle score – 3
- Clark Creek Natural Area: Bortle score – 3
- De Soto National Forest
- Delta National Forest
- French Camp
- Holly Springs National Forest
- Holmes County State Park: Bortle score – 3
- Homochitto National Forest: Bortle score – 3
- Leroy Percy State Park: Bortle score – 3
- Tishomingo State Park: Bortle score – 3
- Tombigbee National Forest
But the viewing chances for around Monday, Dec. 15 are much clearer.
When is the next full moon 2025?
The January full moon, the Wolf Moon, will be on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026.
When is the winter solstice in 2025?
The Winter Solstice will be on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025. It’s the official start of winter.
According to Old Farmer’s Almanac, Jackson will get about 10 hours and one minute of daylight.
Bonnie Bolden is the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with USA TODAY Network. Email her at bbolden@gannett.com.
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com.
