The sky in November

Natural History, Nov, 2001 by Joe Rao

Mercury descends from its excellent morning viewing position of late October. It gradually drops lower into the bright morning twilight, hovering less than 1 [degrees] from Venus through November 7. Also close by is the first-magnitude star Spica, a blue gem. During the first five days of November, Venus, Mercury, and Spica form a trio. Mercury is visible 2 [degrees] to the lower left of Venus on the 11th, increasing to 4 [degrees] by the 17th. Mercury slowly brightens during this interval, reaching magnitude -0.9. In the third week of November, the planet drops deep into the morning twilight and is lost in the glare of the Sun.

Venus rises almost due east about one and a half hours before sunup on the 1st. Spica is close to Venus the first week of November; Mercury lingers nearby through midmonth. On the 3rd, Venus passes 3.5 [degrees] north of Spica. A thin crescent Moon is visible above Venus and to the lower left of Spica on the morning of the 13th. Venus sinks deeper into the dawn twilight throughout the month.

Mars, in Capricornus throughout November, can be found in the southwestern sky at dusk, setting just before 10:30 P.M. local standard time (LST). It starts the month at magnitude 0.1 and dims to 0.4 by the end.

Jupiter glimmers above the eastern horizon by 9:00 P.M. LST at the beginning of November and by 7:00 P.M. LST at month's end, reaching its highest point in the sky during the predawn hours. Late on the night of November 5-6, the Moon passes 1.5 [degrees] north of Jupiter.

Saturn dominates the constellation Taurus this month. It rises about two hours after sunset early in November but only fifteen minutes after sundown by the 30th. On the evening of November 3 it hovers close to the Moon. On the 30th the ringed planet is occulted by the full Moon for much of North America; it disappears at roughly 7:30 P.M. LST in the East and 5:00 P.M. LST in the far Southwest.

The Moon is full twice in November for those in the eastern time zone--on the 1st at 12:41 A.M. and on the 30th at 3:49 P.M. Last quarter comes on the 8th at 7:21 A.M. The Moon is new on the 15th at 1:40 A.M., and first quarter comes on the 22nd at 6:21 P.M.

The Leonid meteor shower should reach a peak over North America on the morning of November 18 between 5:00 and 5:30 A.M. Try to get an unobstructed view of the sky far from city lights. The meteors will be radiating from the sickle of Leo. Keep alert for brilliant fireballs or exploding meteors. This year's shower may include a brief outburst of up to 2,500 meteors per hour. If the weather cooperates, you might see more "shooting stars" than you ever have before. Eight hours later--when it's daytime in the Western Hemisphere--an even grander Leonid display, with possible rates of up to 15,000 per hour, is expected over eastern Asia and western Australia. To learn more about the display, go to www.hometown. aol.com/theleonids.

Unless otherwise noted, all times are given in Eastern Standard Time.