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• Watch as the waning crescent moon strolls down the stairway of morning planets over the next few mornings. The moon pairs up with Saturn tomorrow, on Monday, December 10, and then with Venus on Tuesday, December 11. And depending on where you live worldwide, you might be able to spot the moon with Mercury on Wednesday, December 12.
• But first of all, look for the waning crescent moon and Saturn to adorn the predawn and dawn sky on Monday, December 10. By the way, the word saturnine refers to the gloomy disposition associated with lead poisoning. At one time, alchemists thought the planet Saturn possessed lead-like properties.
• In contrast, the ancient Romans honored the god Saturn as a benevolent force in their winter solstice celebrations, the Saturnalia, occurring annually from December 17 to December 25. The Saturnalia was marked by gift-giving and merrymaking, with candles casting out the winter darkness and evergreen wreaths serving as a reminder of the continuance of life. It's thought the modern day celebration of Christmas may have roots in this ancient Roman festival.
• Bottom line: The brightest planet in the predawn sky now is Venus. Saturn is above Venus. Mercury is below Venus. The moon will appear near Saturn on December 10, Venus on December 11 and Mercury on December 12. Check it out! And realize that this motion of the moon - as it appears next to first one, then another planet - is a reflection of the moon's actual motion in orbit around Earth.
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