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: 3X SGR
Birthday from Jack’s initial research: Dec 18
Magnitude: 4.5, variable (4.2 to 4.8)
Spectrum/Star type: Light yellow to yellow
Distance in Light Years: 1000+
Diameter compared to Sun: About 60
Luminosity compared to Sun: 3100 including infra-red
Date best observed: Aug 2
Additional information: 3X is a Cepheid variable with a period of 7 days. It is very young, about 55 million years old. It is the naked-eye star nearest the direction of the Galactic Center. Every star you see in the night sky is part of our Milky Way Galaxy. The galactic center is 30,000 light-years away. X marks the spot(almost)!

Name: HR 6628 SCO aka HIP 87220 formerly BS 6628
Birthday from Jack’s initial research: Dec 19
Magnitude: 4.8
Spectrum/Star type: Blue Supergiant
Distance in Light Years: 610
Diameter compared to Sun: Close to 50x
Luminosity compared to Sun: tens of thousands x
Date best observed: Aug 3
Additional information: Near M6 & M7. Larger and more luminous, this star out-classes ours even though it appears quite dim!

Name: Messier 7, SCO “Ptolemy’s Cluster”
Birthday from Jack’s initial research: Dec 19
Magnitude: 3.3, integrated magnitude for the cluster
Spectrum/Star type: Blue
Distance in Light Years: 800
Date best observed: Aug 3
Additional information: A cluster of stars, number 7 in Messier’s Catalog of objects he would not confuse with a comet. It is younger than the Pleiades, twice as large as M6, & much closer. It is outside of the zodiac. Look low in the south in summertime to see the beauty of M7 and M6!