Current
Astronomy "Headlines"
Full Moon
November 02
|
Last Quarter
November 09
|
New Moon
November 16 |
First Quarter
November 24
|
Listed
below are notable astronomical events coming up for the month of
November 2009:
Naked-Eye
Planets
Jupiter
Jupiter is in the constellation of Capricornus at the beginning
of November, just under 6 degrees west of the planet Neptune, and
a tad farther from the star Deneb Algedi. Jupiter is joined by the
nearly First Quarter Moon on the evening of the 23rd. By the end
of the month, Jupiter will have pulled to within about 3 degrees
of the planet Neptune, and will be approaching the eastern end of
the constellation Capricornus. You can observe the giant Jupiter
in a telescope, revealing cloud bands and the 4 Galilean moons.
Even a pair of binoculars, though, will reveal at least some of
these 4 moons, provided you can hold your binoculars steadily enough!
At this time, Jupiter shines at a brilliant magnitude -2.3, and
sports a large 37.66 arc-second equatorial diameter, and a 35.22
arc-second polar diameter.
Mars
Mars starts out rising after midnight in Cancer, within a binoculars’
view of the Beehive Cluster (M44!) at the beginning of November.
On the morning of the 9th, the Last Quarter Moon appears at about
4 degrees south of the Red Planet, and the all the rest of the month,
Mars moves towards the eastern border of the constellation Cancer.
By the end of the month, Mars is in eastern Cancer (about to cross
into Leo), rising almost exactly at 10 p.m. MST! Mars is shining
at about magnitude 0.0 (as bright as the bright star Vega, brightest
star in the Summer Triangle asterism!) by this time, and sporting
a modest (but slowly growing) 9.82 arc-second diameter disk (this
is a little less than three times the current angular size of the
diameter of the planet Uranus as seen from Earth!)
Saturn
In the beginning of November, Saturn rises at about 3:30 a.m. MST
in conjunction western Virgo. Saturn is joined by the waning crescent
Moon about 8 degrees SW away on the morning of the 12th. By the
end of the month, Saturn rises at a little after 1:45 a.m. If you
rise early enough in the morning and have even a modest telescope,
you might be able to observe Saturn and its ring system in the eyepiece
beginning with modest power (at least 30x-35x). In addition, Saturn’s
largest moon, Titan, can nearly always be seen relatively close
to the planet. With good seeing conditions, up to nearly a half-dozen
other Saturnian satellites are within reach of most moderately-sized
backyard telescopes! At the end of the month the rings’ major
axis is 38.2” and minor axis is 2.9”. At this time,
Saturn will shine at magnitude 1.0 and show an equatorial diameter
of 16.82 arc-seconds and a polar diameter of 15.01 arc-seconds.
Venus
Venus will begin the month of November rising at about 5:15 a.m.
MST in southeastern Virgo, about 4 degrees away from the bright
star Spica. Venus rises progressively later every morning all month
long, and the nearly spent crescent Moon bypasses the brightest
planet on the morning of the 15th. By the month’s end, Venus
rises at only about 10 degrees ahead of the Sun (i.e. – less
than an hour) and will be all but lost in the Sun’s glare.
Venus shines at about magnitude -3.9 by this time, has an angular
diameter of 9.97”, and reveals a 0.985 phase (a very nearly
“full” Venus!).
Mercury
Mercury begins November deep in the Sun’s glare, only within
about 3 degrees from the solar disk. On the 5th of the month, Mercury
goes into superior conjunction , and thereafter Mercury is an evening
object, setting after the Sun. On the evening of the 16th Mercury
is bypassed by the New Moon, although they are so deep in the Sun’s
glare that evening that they still won’t be viewable. By the
last day of the month, Mercury will still be about 14 degrees east
of the solar disk, rendering it all but impossible to see at the
angle at which it sets with the Sun. Next month will afford a more
reasonable chance to see the swiftest planet!
Telescopic
Planets
Uranus
Uranus is decently high in the SSE in extreme eastern Aquarius,
the constellation in which the giant planet will remain all month
long, after sunset at the beginning of November. This month will
be excellent for viewing Uranus all month long! On the 25th and
26th of the month, Uranus is bypassed most closely by the waxing
First Quarter Moon. Uranus finishes the month high in the SSE at
the eastern end of the constellation Aquarius. It is possible to
observe Uranus through binoculars or telescopes as a pale blue,
steadily-shining “star” in binoculars, and a small telescope
at moderate-to-high power (about 75x or more) will reveal its disc
(magnitude 5.8, and 3.61 arc-seconds on 11/30).
Neptune
Neptune is in extreme eastern Capricornus for all of November, beginning
the month about 2 degrees NW of the star Deneb Algedi, and just
under 6 degrees to the east of Jupiter. The near-First Quarter Moon
joins the planet Neptune on the night of the 23rd about 3 degrees
away and by the end of the month is decently high in the SW, still
at about 2 degrees north of Deneb Algedi and now only about 3 degrees
west of Jupiter, as Jupiter has been catching up to Neptune all
month long! Neptune appears as a slightly deeper blue-hued “star”
in binoculars than Uranus normally does, but also much less bright.
A telescope will barely reveal a very small disc (magnitude 7.9,
and 2.21 arc-seconds on 11/30) at high power (150x or more).
Dwarf
Planets
Ceres
The dwarf planet / asteroid
Ceres is rising in solar conjunction in the constellation Libra
at the beginning of November. For about the first half of the month,
at least, Ceres will be deep in the solar glare, rising just before
the Sun. the nearly-spent Moon passes closest, although it will
not be visible due to nearness to the Sun, on the morning of the
16th. The planet Venus actually comes into closest conjunction (about
4 degrees away) with Ceres on the morning of the 24th, although
you will still need to have a flat horizon in the east to be able
to see it at all. At the end of the month will be the best time
for early-rising asteroid hunters to see Ceres, which will rise
at that time at a little after 5:30 a.m. An observer will be able
to view Ceres with a telescope (although a detailed star chart will
be necessary to pinpoint its position), although far from glaringly,
and even then Ceres’ disc is too small to be seen through
any but the largest professional ground-based telescopes. Ceres
should appear as a “dot” of a star, much like Pluto,
only it will be visible with MUCH more modest viewing equipment!
On the last day of the month, Ceres’ magnitude is 8.8.
Pluto
In the month of November,
tiny Pluto is low in the SW sky after sunset in northern Sagittarius,
about 3.5 degrees north of Mu Sagittarii. The waxing crescent Moon
passes closest (about 8 degrees south) on the evening of the 19th.
Pluto ends the month in the SE at almost 21 degrees over the horizon
in that direction a little over an hour after setting at about 6:45
p.m. in Sagittarius! Although now classified as a dwarf planet,
Pluto still makes as possible a telescopic target as it ever did,
under the right conditions! With observing experience, a great deal
of patience and persistence, as well as an excellently-detailed
star map, a dedicated observer may be able to spot Pluto using the
aforementioned Mu Sagittarii (at magnitude 3.58) as a dim, but visible,
guide star. Be prepared for a challenge, though. The icy dwarf planet
is only visible as a very modest, slight “dot” of a
star in a telescope of at least 8”-10” aperture. A very
detailed star chart (as well as a great amount of patience and endurance!)
is vitally necessary in order to spot it! At month’s end,
Pluto glows feebly at magnitude 14.1.
*****
*****
Meteor
Showers - http://amsmeteors.org/showers.html
Viewable
Comets - http://cometography.com/current_comets.html
Special
events - http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/highlights
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