In some cases you have a choice of stars for this date. Remember that a brighter star has a smaller magnitude number, if that is your choice.

Name: 13Mu SGR Polis
Birthday from Jack’s initial research: Dec 24
Magnitude: 3.8, variable
Spectrum/Star type: Blue Giant
Distance in Light Years: more than 3900-one of most distant zodiac stars.
Diameter compared to Sun: 115
Luminosity compared to Sun: >70,000
Date best observed: Aug 9
Additional information: From the Copts of northeast Africa: “the Foal”. One of most distant zodiac stars, it is an eclipsing spectroscopic binary with 4 other companions. Mu is at the upper tip of the ancient Bow of the Archer and at the lower tip lies the brighter Eta SGR, 3.1 magnitude, outside of the zodiac.

Name: Messier 24, SGR
B’DAY: Dec 25 & 26
MAG: 4.5 integrated, S.J. O’Meara has 2.5!
LYR: 9400
CULM: Aug 10 & 11
MISC: “The Small Sagittarius Star Cloud”, part of the Milky Way. Not one star, but millions seen like a window in space. It is 2 degrees long & 1 degree wide. (The moon is only half a degree wide.) Number 24 in Messier’s Catalog of objects he would not confuse with a comet.

Name: HR 6842 SGR aka HIP 89678 formerly BS 6842
Birthday from Jack’s initial research: A Merry Dec 25!
Magnitude: 4.6
Spectrum/Star type: Orange Giant
Distance in Light Years: 700
Diameter compared to Sun: ~20x
Luminosity compared to Sun: over 200x
Date best observed: Aug 10