Mercury is gaining in altitude and brightness as we move into December, although still maintaining almost exactly its previous position in Libra with respect to Zubenelgenubi and Zubeneschamali (α and β, respectively).  Here we see Mercury at magnitude -0.19, which is brighter than Arcturus, rising over the Rappahannock River in Stafford County, Virginia.  Unannotated image, Ecliptic annotated.