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November Observing Guide
- Neill
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17 years 2 months ago #52720
by Neill
November Observing Guide was created by Neill
Hi all,
Sky guide for November below.
OBSERVING GUIDE
(Please note all times are UT and are based on an observing location of Belfast)
The Sun
At the start of the month the Sun rises at 07:25 and sets at 16:45. By the end of the month, it rises at 08:20 and sets at 16:05.
The Planets
Mercury is at greatest western elongation on the 8th. It is a morning object this month. It rises an hour and a half before the Sun at the start of the month at 05:55. By month’s end it rises roughly one hour before the Sun at 07:25. It is well placed for observation this month and brightens from mag +0.8 at the start of the month to mag -0.8 by month’s end.
Venus is a prominent morning object this month, rising at the start of the month at 02:50 and by month’s end it rises at 04:00. It fades from mag -4.4 at the start of the month to mag -4.2 by month’s end.
Mars rises at 19:50 at the start of month and by 17:40 by month’s end. It is present in Gemini throughout the month and brightens from mag -0.6 at the start of the month to mag -1.3 by month’s end.
Ceres is at opposition on the 11th. It will be mag +7 and visible in binoculars. It starts the month 4 degrees to the West of Omnicron Tauri and moves into the Head of Cetus between Alpha Ceti, a mag +2.5 star and Lambda Ceti, a mag +4.7 star.
Jupiter is to be found low in the South in Ophiuchus and will be hard to observe this month as it sinks into the evening twilight. At the start of the month, it sets at 18:35 and by month’s end, it sets at 17:05, only one hour after the Sun. It fades from mag -1.9 at the start of the month to mag -1.8 by month’s end.
Saturn rises at the start of the month at 01:15 and by month’s end, it rises at 23:30. It can be found in Leo and brightens from mag +0.8 at the start of the month to mag +0.7 by month’s end.
Uranus can be found in the South in Aquarius. It sets at 02:15 at the start of the month and by month’s end, it sets at 00:20. It maintains its brightness at mag +5.8 throughout the month. It can be located between Phi Aquarii, a mag +4.2 star and Lambda Aquarii, a mag +3.7 star.
Neptune can found in the South in Capricornus. At the start of the month, it sets at 23:40 and by month’s end, it sets at 21:50. It maintains its brightness at mag +7.9 throughout the month.
The Moon
The last quarter moon is on the 1st, the new moon is on the 9th with the first quarter moon on the 17th. The full moon this month is on the 24th.
On the morning of the 4th, a 27 % illuminated waning crescent moon lies less than 3 degrees to the South of Saturn.
On the morning of the 5th, a 18% illuminated waning crescent moon lies close to Venus, to the West of the planet.
On the mornings of the 6th and 7th, the waning crescent moon lies between Venus and Mercury.
On the morning of the 8th, a 2% illuminated waning crescent moon lies close to Mercury, to the South of the planet.
On the evening of the 17th, a 49% illuminated waxing crescent moon lies close to Neptune, to the East of the planet.
On the evening of the 19th, a 70% illuminated waxing gibbous moon lies close to Uranus, to the East of the planet.
On the evening of the 24th, the newly full moon lies close to both M45 – The Pleiades and the Hyades in Taurus. It lies to the East of the former and to the North of the latter.
On the evening of the 26th/morning of the 27th, a 94% illuminated waning gibbous moon lies close to Mars.
On the evening of the 28th/morning of the 29th, there is a occultation of M44 – The Beehive Cluster by a 74% illuminated waning gibbous moon. The event starts at midnight through to 03:00.
Meteors
There are three showers this month. First up are the Taurids which have two distinct peaks with the Southern Taurids on the evening of the 5th and the Northern Taurids on the evening of the 12th. The ZHR for both peaks is 5 and the meteors are characteristically slow-moving and can produce bright fireballs. There will be little lunar interference for the first peak as the 13% illuminated waning crescent moon only rises at 03:45 on the morning of the 6th. For the second peak, there will be no lunar interference as the 6% illuminated waxing crescent moon sets at 17:00 on the 12th.
The Leonids peak on the morning of the 18th at 02:50 with a ZHR of 15. There will be little interference for this shower as the 50% illuminated waxing gibbous moon sets at 23:10 on the evening of the 17th. The radiant for this shower only rises around midnight.
The Alpha Monocerotids peak on the morning of the 22nd at 03:10 with a ZHR of 5, although it has produced outbursts in the past. There may be some lunar interference for this shower as the 90% illuminated waxing gibbous moon sets at 05:10 on the morning of the 22nd.
Asteroids
Asteroid (
Flora reaches opposition in Taurus on the 20th. It will be mag +8 and visible in binoculars. It lies to the East of Ceres which is also at opposition this month.
Comets
Comet 8P/Tuttle returns to our skies again. It is predicted to peak at mag +6 at the end of December/beginning of January. During November it can be located in Ursa Minor, circling Polaris. It is predicted to brighten to mag +10 by month’s end. Up to date information and finder charts for comets can be found at www.aerith.net and
www.skyhound.com/sh/comets.html
Deep Sky
On the deep sky front this month, M31 – the Great Andromeda Galaxy can be found in Andromeda, along with its two satellite galaxies – M32 and M110. M33 – a good spiral galaxy can be found in Triangulum. The Double Cluster – NGC 869 and NGC 884 makes for a great sight in Perseus. M76 - the Little Dumbbell Nebula can also be found in Perseus. M42 – The Great Orion Nebula is a must see and is returning to our skies. In Taurus – M45 – The Pleiades and the Hyades are both excellent targets. Finally there are some excellent open clusters in Auriga and Gemini - M35 in Gemini, M36, M37 and M38 in Auriga.
For further observing information, check out www.eaas.co.uk/stargazers.html .
General Notes
Always keep an eye out for Aurorae. Check out www.stronge.org.uk/spaceweather.html for the most up-to-date information on the aurorae.
Other interesting naked eye phenomena to look out for include the Zodiacal Light and the Gegenschein. Both are caused by sunlight reflecting off dust particles which are present in the solar system. The Zodiacal Light can be seen in the West after evening twilight has disappeared or in the East before the morning twilight. The best time of year to see the phenomenon is late-Feb to early-April in the evening sky and September/October in the morning sky -- it's then that the ecliptic, along which the cone of the zodiacal light lies, is steepest in our skies. The Gegenschein can be seen in the area of the sky opposite the sun. To view either, you must get yourself to a very dark site to cut out the light pollution. Moonlight also hampers the view.
Finally check out www.heavens-above.com for the latest passes of the ISS and for details of Iridium Flare activity.
Clear Skies
Neill McKeown
Sky guide for November below.
OBSERVING GUIDE
(Please note all times are UT and are based on an observing location of Belfast)
The Sun
At the start of the month the Sun rises at 07:25 and sets at 16:45. By the end of the month, it rises at 08:20 and sets at 16:05.
The Planets
Mercury is at greatest western elongation on the 8th. It is a morning object this month. It rises an hour and a half before the Sun at the start of the month at 05:55. By month’s end it rises roughly one hour before the Sun at 07:25. It is well placed for observation this month and brightens from mag +0.8 at the start of the month to mag -0.8 by month’s end.
Venus is a prominent morning object this month, rising at the start of the month at 02:50 and by month’s end it rises at 04:00. It fades from mag -4.4 at the start of the month to mag -4.2 by month’s end.
Mars rises at 19:50 at the start of month and by 17:40 by month’s end. It is present in Gemini throughout the month and brightens from mag -0.6 at the start of the month to mag -1.3 by month’s end.
Ceres is at opposition on the 11th. It will be mag +7 and visible in binoculars. It starts the month 4 degrees to the West of Omnicron Tauri and moves into the Head of Cetus between Alpha Ceti, a mag +2.5 star and Lambda Ceti, a mag +4.7 star.
Jupiter is to be found low in the South in Ophiuchus and will be hard to observe this month as it sinks into the evening twilight. At the start of the month, it sets at 18:35 and by month’s end, it sets at 17:05, only one hour after the Sun. It fades from mag -1.9 at the start of the month to mag -1.8 by month’s end.
Saturn rises at the start of the month at 01:15 and by month’s end, it rises at 23:30. It can be found in Leo and brightens from mag +0.8 at the start of the month to mag +0.7 by month’s end.
Uranus can be found in the South in Aquarius. It sets at 02:15 at the start of the month and by month’s end, it sets at 00:20. It maintains its brightness at mag +5.8 throughout the month. It can be located between Phi Aquarii, a mag +4.2 star and Lambda Aquarii, a mag +3.7 star.
Neptune can found in the South in Capricornus. At the start of the month, it sets at 23:40 and by month’s end, it sets at 21:50. It maintains its brightness at mag +7.9 throughout the month.
The Moon
The last quarter moon is on the 1st, the new moon is on the 9th with the first quarter moon on the 17th. The full moon this month is on the 24th.
On the morning of the 4th, a 27 % illuminated waning crescent moon lies less than 3 degrees to the South of Saturn.
On the morning of the 5th, a 18% illuminated waning crescent moon lies close to Venus, to the West of the planet.
On the mornings of the 6th and 7th, the waning crescent moon lies between Venus and Mercury.
On the morning of the 8th, a 2% illuminated waning crescent moon lies close to Mercury, to the South of the planet.
On the evening of the 17th, a 49% illuminated waxing crescent moon lies close to Neptune, to the East of the planet.
On the evening of the 19th, a 70% illuminated waxing gibbous moon lies close to Uranus, to the East of the planet.
On the evening of the 24th, the newly full moon lies close to both M45 – The Pleiades and the Hyades in Taurus. It lies to the East of the former and to the North of the latter.
On the evening of the 26th/morning of the 27th, a 94% illuminated waning gibbous moon lies close to Mars.
On the evening of the 28th/morning of the 29th, there is a occultation of M44 – The Beehive Cluster by a 74% illuminated waning gibbous moon. The event starts at midnight through to 03:00.
Meteors
There are three showers this month. First up are the Taurids which have two distinct peaks with the Southern Taurids on the evening of the 5th and the Northern Taurids on the evening of the 12th. The ZHR for both peaks is 5 and the meteors are characteristically slow-moving and can produce bright fireballs. There will be little lunar interference for the first peak as the 13% illuminated waning crescent moon only rises at 03:45 on the morning of the 6th. For the second peak, there will be no lunar interference as the 6% illuminated waxing crescent moon sets at 17:00 on the 12th.
The Leonids peak on the morning of the 18th at 02:50 with a ZHR of 15. There will be little interference for this shower as the 50% illuminated waxing gibbous moon sets at 23:10 on the evening of the 17th. The radiant for this shower only rises around midnight.
The Alpha Monocerotids peak on the morning of the 22nd at 03:10 with a ZHR of 5, although it has produced outbursts in the past. There may be some lunar interference for this shower as the 90% illuminated waxing gibbous moon sets at 05:10 on the morning of the 22nd.
Asteroids
Asteroid (
Flora reaches opposition in Taurus on the 20th. It will be mag +8 and visible in binoculars. It lies to the East of Ceres which is also at opposition this month.Comets
Comet 8P/Tuttle returns to our skies again. It is predicted to peak at mag +6 at the end of December/beginning of January. During November it can be located in Ursa Minor, circling Polaris. It is predicted to brighten to mag +10 by month’s end. Up to date information and finder charts for comets can be found at www.aerith.net and
www.skyhound.com/sh/comets.html
Deep Sky
On the deep sky front this month, M31 – the Great Andromeda Galaxy can be found in Andromeda, along with its two satellite galaxies – M32 and M110. M33 – a good spiral galaxy can be found in Triangulum. The Double Cluster – NGC 869 and NGC 884 makes for a great sight in Perseus. M76 - the Little Dumbbell Nebula can also be found in Perseus. M42 – The Great Orion Nebula is a must see and is returning to our skies. In Taurus – M45 – The Pleiades and the Hyades are both excellent targets. Finally there are some excellent open clusters in Auriga and Gemini - M35 in Gemini, M36, M37 and M38 in Auriga.
For further observing information, check out www.eaas.co.uk/stargazers.html .
General Notes
Always keep an eye out for Aurorae. Check out www.stronge.org.uk/spaceweather.html for the most up-to-date information on the aurorae.
Other interesting naked eye phenomena to look out for include the Zodiacal Light and the Gegenschein. Both are caused by sunlight reflecting off dust particles which are present in the solar system. The Zodiacal Light can be seen in the West after evening twilight has disappeared or in the East before the morning twilight. The best time of year to see the phenomenon is late-Feb to early-April in the evening sky and September/October in the morning sky -- it's then that the ecliptic, along which the cone of the zodiacal light lies, is steepest in our skies. The Gegenschein can be seen in the area of the sky opposite the sun. To view either, you must get yourself to a very dark site to cut out the light pollution. Moonlight also hampers the view.
Finally check out www.heavens-above.com for the latest passes of the ISS and for details of Iridium Flare activity.
Clear Skies
Neill McKeown
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