Astronomer's Delight

From SpaceWeather.com:

CHRISTMAS MORNING: "Mom, dad, wake up, it's Christmas!" If this happens to you at 5:30 a.m. on Dec. 25th, steal a glance out the window on your way to the tree. The crescent moon will be gliding by the bright star Spica--a pretty close encounter. In some places the moon will actually blot out the star. Check here for sky maps and more information.

Also,

if you get a telescope for Christmas, point it at Mars--fast! The red planet is receding from Earth at a speed of 30,000 mph and shrinking as it goes. Using an 8-inch telescope, Joel Warren of Amarillo, Texas, took these two pictures of Mars five weeks apart:

What a difference: By mid-January, Mars will be only half as bright as it is tonight, and its apparent diameter will have decreased from 13 to 9 arcseconds. So now is the time to observe Mars. Look for it straight overhead after sunset: sky map.