November 2008

November starts with Venus in an undistinguished part of Ophiuchus just after sunset. For what it's worth, the planet is at its farthest from the sun at this time. The crescent moon is nearby a little to the east. Further than that is Jupiter. These visible planets set rather early in the evening. It'll be a few hours until late evening when Saturn rises. You could spend the evening getting acquainted with November's constellations.

This month, you can watch Jupiter and Venus drawing closer together for a conjunction in Sagittarius around the 30th. They'll be just two degrees apart then. There'll be enough space between them to fit four moons. If you can't see Venus when November starts, keep looking. It won't take too many evenings for it to appear above the trees or whatever is on your horizon. Click the picture below for a view of what it may look like.

Mercury is a morning object in Virgo the first few days of the month. You might catch a glimpse of it close to Spica in the morning twilight. Mercury retreats into the sunlight for conjunction on the 25th. The messenger reaches aphelion on the 30th.

Mars is not to be seen this month. It's in the sun's glare.

The Leonid meteor shower is forecast to peak around the 17th. This is not a peak year, however. If you see a Leonid, try to imagine the times in history when dozens were seen per hour.

The moon occults Antares on the 28th. This is a daytime event, however, and as such lends itself only to specialized observations. Perhaps there's a radio-astronomy application ready for it.

The most visible planets are in direct motion this month, meaning they appear to be going from east to west. Uranus is going the other way, that is, in retrograde motion.

This month's full moon is on the 13th. It will be a bright one for those in the northern hemisphere because the moon will be particularly high and close. It reaches perigee on the 14th and its northernmost point in orbit on the 15th.

The moon is in conjunction with Venus as the beginning of November. It passes Jupiter on the 3rd and Saturn on the 21st.

A little after sunset this month, the Great Square of Pegasus is high in the east and almost overhead. The big V of Taurus with the bright star Aldebaran is rising in the east. Orion rises later in the evening soon followed by Gemini. A few hours before dawn, you'll see Leo rising with Saturn beneath it. Bootes with the bright star Arcturus comes next. Closer to sunrise, you'll see a smile shaped collection of stars called Corona Borealis or the Northern Crown.