The Night Sky: November

Sun

The nights become noticeably shorter this month as true darkness lasts less than eight hours. Moon

First Quarter is on November 4 and Full Moon follows on November 13. Last Quarter is on November 20 with New Moon falling on November 27. Meteor shower

The Leonids peak on November 17. This shower can have a high hourly rate of meteors but its radiant is rather low in our skies. Moonlight may interfere with this year’s viewing. Planets

Mercury lies too near the Sun to be easily seen. The best chance to see it is right at the beginning of the month when Mercury appears close to the much brighter Venus.

Venus can be found low in the western twilight at the start of November. By the end of the month it is setting two hours after the Sun. On November 24 it is within 2 degrees of

Jupiter. On the 28th, the two planets are in a close grouping with the crescent Moon.

Mars rises just over an hour before the Sun and should be visible, a short distance above the eastern horizon. Jupiter is in the western sky, setting around 11 pm by mid-month.

Saturn sets around three hours after the Sun and is best observed in the early evening. There is an occultation of the ringed planet tonight. Saturn disappears behind the Moon just after 9pm and re-emerges nearly one hour later. Stars and constellations

The November evening sky appears somewhat barren overhead. In the west, Scorpius and Sagittarius are setting, while, directly opposite, the summer constellation of Orion is emerging. The bright star just above the horizon is Sirius. A little distance away is Canopus. The Southern Cross is due south, barely visible. Above it are the Magellanic Clouds. Dominating the northern sky is the Great Square of Pegasus, the Winged Horse. Below it is the spiral galaxy of M31 in Andromeda.

– Tom Whelan, Cape Egmont Observatory.

Venus can be found low in the western twilight at the start of November.