Astronomical Events Information | 2016 | December
The Moon Passing Close to Jupiter
Let’s Observer the Moon and Jupiter before Dawn!

At the end of December, before dawn in the eastern sky, Jupiter draws the eye shining brightly in the spring constellations. After midnight on the night of the 23rd, the Moon and Jupiter rise up from the east, lined-up close together. But because the Moon moves with respect to the background stars, as time passes the Moon and Jupiter reluctantly separate slowly.
Using Jupiter, which shines brightly not losing to the moonlight, as a guide you can observe the position of the Moon shift with respect to the background stars.
Reference: Ephemeris Computation Office
You can look up the rising and setting times for the Sun and the Moon, and the phases of the Moon in the “Koyomi Station” of the NAOJ Ephemeris Computation Office.
You can find the appearance of the Moon and planets as seen from a typical city under “Sky Viewer.”