North Wales Astronomy buff Brian Woosnam points to the skies again this December, fresh from a trip to the Jodrell Bank Observatory in Manchester.

Here is his guide for the night sky over the next month.

At this time, the southern and eastern sky are much as they have been later on autumn evenings, with the square of Pegasus high to the south, but little else in the way of bright constellations for now.

By 6pm however, Orion is beginning to haul over the eastern horizon, and mid-evenings southern sky will be filled by the striking winter groups.

The winter solstice is on the 21st at 23.03.

The planets

Venus will return to the evening night sky low in the southwestern twilight around an hour after sunset.

During the last week of December the planet Mercury will be just to its lower right but a lot fainter.

Mars will also be in the evening sky but setting in thewest around 19.30.

The bright planet Jupiter will be found in the east around 9pm between Cancer and Leo.

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STARS: North Wales Astronomy buff Brian Woosnam's tips for December