The Earth :- The Earth is at Winter Solstice on 21st.

Partial Eclipse of the Moon : The phenomenon will occur after midnight of 31st December, 2009 i.e. on 1st January, 2010 which will be visible in India. The eclipse begins at 00-22 hrs. I.S.T. and ends at 01-24 hrs I.S.T. The beginning , the middle and the ending of the eclipse will be visible from all parts of the country.

The Planets

Mercury: The planet can be seen in the evening low in the western sky and sets after sunset throughout the month. It sets about 1 hour to 1½ hours after sunset upto 29th of the month. Thereafter it is too near the Sun to be visible and remains so for the remaining days of the month, being in Inferior Conjunction on 4th January 2010. It is in Greatest Eastern Elongation of about 20º on 18th. The motion of the planet becomes Retrograde with respect to the Earth on 26th. The planet is in Perihelion or nearest to the Sun on 31st.

Venus: It is a brilliant object, can be seen low in the eastern sky before sunrise and remains visible till the beginning of the morning twilight upto second quarter of the month. It rises about 1 hour to ½ hour before sunrise upto second quarter of the month. Thereafter it is too near the Sun to be visible and remains so for the remaining days of the month.

Mars: The planet rises before local midnight and remains visible till the beginning of morning twilight. It rises about 2 hours to 2½ hours before local midnight during first quarter of the month, about 2½ hours to 3 hours before it during second quarter of the month, about 3 hours to 3½ hours before it during third quarter of the month and 3½ hours to 3 hours after sunset for the remaining days of the month. The motion of the planet becomes Retrograde with respect to the Earth on 20th.

Jupiter: The planet can be seen in the evening in the western sky after sunset throughout the month. It sets about 2 hours to 2½ hours before local midnight upto second quarter of the month and about 2½ hours to 3 hours before it for the remaining days of the month.

Saturn: The planet rises around local midnight time and remains visible till the beginning of morning twilight throughout the month. It rises about 1 hour after local midnight to around local midnight time upto second quarter of the month, around local midnight time to 1 hour before it for the remaining days of the month, being in Quadrature with the Sun on 26th .

Uranus: The planet can be seen in the evening after sunset. It sets about ½ hour after local midnight to around local midnight time upto first quarter of the month, around local midnight time to ½ hour before it upto second quarter of the month, about ½ hour to 1 hour before it upto third quarter of the month and about 1 hour to 1½ hours before it for the remaining days of the month, being in Quadrature with the Sun on 14th. The motion of the planet becomes Direct with respect to the Earth on 2nd.

Neptune: The planet is visible towards the western sky after sunset and sets before local midnight throughout the month. It sets about 1½ hours to 2 hours before it during first quarter of the month, about 2 hours to 2½ hours before it upto second quarter of the month, about 2½ hours to 3 hours before it upto third quarter of the month and about 3 hours to 3½ hours before it for the remaining days of the month.

Conjunction of Planet :

Venus passes 5º north of the star(Jeystha) on 9th.

Jupiter passes 1½º south of Neptune on 20th.

Planets	Planets in Zodiacal Constellation	Magnitude
Mercury (Budha)	Moves from Scorpio (Vrischika) to Sagittarius (Dhanus) on 1st.	-0.5 to +1.6
Venus (Sukra)	Moves from Scorpio (Vrischika) to Sagittarius (Dhanus) on 21st.	-3.9
Mars (Mangala)	Remains in Cancer (Karkata)	-0.1 to -0.7
Jupiter (Brihaspati)	Moves from Capricornus (Makara) to Aquarius (Kumbha) on 20th.	-2.2
Saturn (Sani)	Remains in Virgo (Kanya) .	+1.0
Uranus	Remains in Aquarius (Kumbha).	+6.0
Neptune	Moves from Capricornus (Makara) to Aquarius (Kumbha) on 8th.	+8.0