Until November 23rd at around 09h, the sun having passed through the constellation of Libra, enters Scorpius for just short of a week, because on the 29th at 20h30, it crosses into the neighbouring constellation of Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer.
The MoonThe moon is at apogee (furthest from earth) around 19h00 in the morning on the 22nd. Perigee (nearest to earth) occurs on the 7th at around 08h00
Click here to download as a PDFFull Moon is on the 2nd just after 19h00 in Aries. Some people may consider this Full Moon to be the Hunters Moon because of its proximity to Samhain (October 31st). Last Quarter is on the 9th just before 16h00 in western Leo. At around 19h00 on the 16th, New Moon occurs, when both the sun and moon are in the constellation of Libra, the moon being 5° south of the sun. First Quarter is on the 24th, just after 21h30 in Aquarius.
You may be able to glimpse earthshine on the night hemisphere of the waning crescent moon from the 11th to the 16th.
The PlanetsMercury is in superior conjunction at 08h on the 5th, thereafter it becomes an evening object but too close to the sun to be seen.
The period available for the observation of Venus decreases during November. At the beginning of the month it rises 2 hours before the sun, but by only 1 hour at the end. It may be possible to glimpse Venus and the old crescent moon low in the ESE at around 6h45, just before the beginning of civil twilight on the 15th. Both are below 10° in altitude with the moon 7° to the lower right of the planet.
Mars continues to move slowly eastwards through the constellation of Cancer and reaches the border with Leo by the month's end. Do use binoculars during the first few days of the month to observe Mars in close proximity to Praesepe, the Manger or Beehive cluster, M44. The planet passes just to the north of the cluster's centre. By the end of November Mars has become brighter than Arcturus in Boötes, the brightest star north of the celestial equator, and throughout the month is visible for all of the night after 21h. On the 9th at 04h, the moon, which is almost at last quarter, lies just less than 4° below the planet producing a pleasing naked eye spectacle in the early morning sky.
When the moon is not visible Jupiter is the brightest object in the evening sky moving slowly eastwards through Capricornus. At the end of nautical twilight around 18h, it lies 20° high in the south. The broad waxing crescent moon (one day before first quarter) passes 3° to the north of Jupiter during the evening. You are reminded to observe the Galilean satellites through a small telescope or firmly fixed binoculars. By the end of November Jupiter sets shortly after 21h.
Saturn rises at 03h at the beginning of November, but at around 01h30 at the month's end. It is becoming a bright morning object in western Virgo, an area devoid of bright stars. By the end of the month it has achieved a magnitude of brightness comparable with Spica, Virgo's brightest star which lies over 20° to the lower left of Saturn. The waning crescent moon lies 10° to the right of Saturn during the morning of the 12th, and again to the lower right of Saturn on the morning after.
Uranus and Neptune continue to be evening stars; Uranus on the Aquarius Pisces border, and Neptune in eastern Capricornus 5° to the upper left of Jupiter.
The best time to observe them is early evening, but as ever; a telescope is necessary to see these distant worlds.
There are two interesting meteor showers this month, the first of these is the Taurid meteor shower consisting of slow moving shooting stars associated with Encke's comet and peaking during the 3rd and 4th, but conditions are not favourable this year due to the proximity of the moon. Several years ago, another meteor shower radiating from the constellation of Leo produced several thousand meteors each hour.
The Leonid shower has now subsided, and astronomers are not expecting to see more than about 20 an hour in the early morning of the 17th and 18th. The parent body of this shower is comet Temple- Tuttle, which visits the earth about every 33 years. Moonlight will not interfere.
Constellations visible in the south around midnight, mid-month, are as follows: Eridanus, and the Pleiades in Taurus. Perseus is at the zenith embedded in a rich star field – take a look through binoculars and see!
