As 2025 draws to a close, the bright winter stars are assembling in the east earlier and earlier, along with Jupiter, which outshines all of them.

Jupiter appears over the northeastern horizon a couple of hours after nightfall. Meanwhile, Saturn shines in the south. In late December 2020, Saturn and Jupiter passed so close to each other they looked like one object. Five years later, thanks to Jupiter’s greater orbital speed, the two planets are now approximately 90 degrees apart.

Jupiter is below the Gemini twin stars Pollux — the brighter — and Castor. The hourglass form of Orion, the hunter, with the three closely spaced stars of his belt, rises to the right of Jupiter. Above Orion, look for bright Aldebaran, the eye of Taurus, the bull, and the Hyades star cluster, which marks the bul

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