The night sky tonight and on any clear night offers an ever-changing display of fascinating objects you can see, from stars and constellations to bright planets, often the moon, and sometimes special events like meteor showers. Observing the night sky can be done with no special equipment, although a sky map can be very useful, and a good beginner telescope or binoculars will enhance some experiences and bring some otherwise invisible objects into view. You can also use astronomy accessories to make your observing easier, and use our Satellite Tracker pagepowered by N2YO.com to find out when to see the International Space Station and other satellites. Below, find out what’s up in the night sky tonight (Planets Visible Now, Moon Phases, Observing Highlights This Month) plus other resources (Skywatching Terms, Night Sky Observing Tips and Further Reading).
The night sky is more than just the moon and stars, if you know when and where to look.
Credit: Karl Tate/SPACE.com
Editor’s note: If you have an amazing skywatching photo you’d like to share for a possible story or image gallery, please contact managing editor Tariq Malik at spacephotos@space.com.
Moon Phases
Monday, November 7 at 2:51 p.m. EST – First Quarter Moon
At first quarter, the positions of the earth, sun, and moon cause us to see one-half of the moon illuminated by the sun. The moon’s bright half is on the western (right-hand) side – toward the setting sun. It rises around noontime and sets around midnight, so the moon is visible half the time by day – in the afternoon hours – and the other half at night, during the evening hours. The name quarter moon, even though it’s really a “half-moon” shape, refers to the fact that, starting from new moon, our natural satellite has now completely the first quarter of its orbital journey around Earth.
Monday, November 14 at 8:52 a.m. EST – Full Frost / Beaver Moon, a Supermoon, and High Tides
The November Full Moon, known as the Beaver Moon or Frost Moon, always shines in or near the stars of Taurus. Since it’s opposite the sun on this day of the lunar month, it rises at sunset and sets at sunrise. This month’s full moon will appear full on both Sunday and Monday evenings because the full moon phase actually occurs around 9 am eastern standard time on Monday. This month’s full moon occurs only two hours after the moon reaches perigee, the point in its orbit closest to earth. As a result, this full moon will appear slightly larger and brighter, sometimes referred to as a supermoon, and the world will experience extra high tides.
Monday, November 21 at 3:33 a.m. EST – Last Quarter Moon
After full phase the moon is now waning, diminishing in illumination every evening. At last quarter the moon rises around midnight and sets near noon. Morning commuters might take note of it, shining high in the south against the blue daytime sky. The bright half is now on the left-hand side, towards the eastern dawning sun. At last quarter, the moon is positioned ahead of the Earth in our trip around the sun. When you see it in the sky, keep in mind that about 3½ hours later, Earth will occupy that same part of space where the moon is now. After last quarter, the moon begins to traverse the last quarter of its orbit in its trip around the Earth as it approaches new moon.
Tuesday, November 29 at 7:19 a.m. EST – New Moon
The moon’s orbit carries it between the Earth and sun and sits in the same region of the sky where the sun is. Sunlight is only reaching the side of the moon that is turned away from us, so as a consequence it cannot be seen. Starting a day or two after new moon, you might catch a glimpse of the slender sliver of a waxing crescent moon low near the western horizon, as it gradually pulls away from the sun’s vicinity and shifts toward the east.
Observing Highlights
Wednesday, November 2 after sunset – Young Moon Meets Venus and Saturn
In the western sky after sunset on Wednesday, November 2, the young crescent Moon will sit near the planets Venus and Saturn. The Moon will be 3 degrees north of (above) Saturn and 7 degrees to the upper right of Venus. The grouping will be a terrific binocular target.
Saturday, November 5 and Sunday, November 6 in early evening – Mars and the Moon
Low in the southern evening skies of November 5 and 6, the waxing crescent moon will hop over Mars, landing 7.5 degrees to the upper right and upper left of the red planet respectively.
Monday, November 7 evening – Mars meets a Messier Object
On the evening of Monday, November 7, the planet Mars will pass within 15 arc-minutes (half the moon’s diameter) below the distant globular cluster Messier 75. Observers with access to a small telescope should be able to view the planet and the deep sky object together in the eyepiece.
Saturday, November 12 after midnight – Northern Taurid Meteors
The annual Northern Taurids are medium speed meteors derived from material left by the passage of a Comet known as 2P/Encke. The Taurids material consists of larger than average grains that often produce fireballs, but at a peak rate of only 5 meteors per hour. Unfortunately, a nearly full moon will wash out the peak nights. (Image: Nov 12 at 1 am Northern Taurid Meteors.jpg)
Friday, November 18 before dawn – Leonid Meteors
The annual Leonid Meteor shower, derived from material left by repeated passages of Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, runs from November 5th to December 3rd, peaking before dawn on November 17, when the sky overhead is moving directly into the densest region of the particle field. Unfortunately, a recently full moon will wash out the peak nights.
Monday, November 21 at 3 a.m. EST – The Moon near Regulus
In the pre-dawn hours of Monday, November 21, the last quarter moon will sit only 1.5 degrees to the right of the bright naked eye star Regulus in Leo.
Wednesday, November 23 after sunset – Saturn meets Mercury
Very low in the western sky after sunset on Wednesday, November 23, Mercury, which is climbing away from the sun, will pass within 3.5 degrees of Saturn, which is descending sunward. The two planets are of similar brightness and set around 5:30 pm local time, about 45 minutes after the sun.
Friday, November 25 pre-dawn – The Moon near Jupiter
Low in the eastern pre-dawn sky on November 25, the sliver of the old crescent moon will sit less than 4 degrees to the lower left of Jupiter. The pair of objects will be most easily visible between 4 and 7 am local time.
Wednesday, November 30 after sunset – Young Moon Meets Mercury and Saturn at Sunset
In the western sky after sunset on Wednesday, November 30, the young crescent Moon will make a triangle with the planets Mercury and Saturn. The Moon will be 7 degrees to the upper left of Saturn and 7 degrees to the upper right of Mercury. The grouping will be a terrific, but challenging binocular target in the still-bright sky.
Planets
As November opens, Mercury is just past superior and commencing a long, but poor evening apparition for northern hemisphere observers because its orbital inclination puts it below an already shallow ecliptic. Through the month, it grows in disk size while waning in phase and diminishing in brightness. It becomes easier to see in the evening twilight as November comes to a close. In the western sky after sunset on Wednesday, November 30, the young crescent Moon will make a triangle with the Mercury and Saturn. The Moon will be 7 degrees to the upper left of Saturn and 7 degrees to the upper right of Mercury. The grouping will be a terrific, but challenging binocular target in the still-bright sky. Very low in the western sky after sunset on Wednesday, November 23, Mercury will pass within 3.5 degrees of Saturn, which is descending sunward as Mercury climbs. The two planets are of similar brightness and set around 5:30 pm local time, about 45 minutes after the sun.
During November, Venus sets more than two hours after the sun, making it a very bright white object easily spotted in the western early evening sky. Through the month, it shifts from Ophiuchus into Sagittarius and slowly brightens, while its disk size increases and wanes in phase as it approaches earth. Venus is in a long evening apparition that will last until next spring. After sunset on Wednesday, November 2, the young crescent Moon will sit near the planets Venus and Saturn. The Moon will be 3 degrees north of (above) Saturn and 7 degrees to the upper right of Venus. The grouping will be a terrific binocular target.
After the first week of November, Mars’ eastward motion carries it into Capricornus. Through the month, it decreases in brightness and disk size as we increase our distance from it. But it will remain an easily visible bright reddish object in the evening southwestern sky. On November 5 and 6, the waxing crescent moon will hop over Mars, landing 7.5 degrees to the upper right and upper left of the red planet respectively. On the evening of Monday, November 7, Mars will pass within 15 arc-minutes (half the moon’s diameter) below the distant globular cluster Messier 75. Observers with access to a small telescope should be able to view the planet and the deep sky object together in the eyepiece.
Jupiter, in Virgo, is a pre-dawn object in November, rising at 5:30 am on November 1 and at 3 am by month’s end as it climbs away from the sun. The bright planet is easily seen, even as the sky becomes lighter before sunrise. Low in the eastern pre-dawn sky on November 25, the sliver of the old crescent moon will sit less than 4 degrees to the lower left of Jupiter. The pair of objects will be most easily visible between 4 and 7 am local time.
In early November, Saturn is the modestly bright yellowish object visible low in the southwestern sky after sunset, above the stars of Scorpius, and setting about 8 pm. By the end of the month, the planet has been carried into the evening twilight, making it much harder to spot. In the western sky after sunset on Wednesday, November 2, the young crescent Moon will sit near Venus and Saturn. The Moon will be 3 degrees north of (above) Saturn and 7 degrees to the upper right of Venus. The grouping will be a terrific binocular target. Immediately after sunset on Wednesday, November 30, the young crescent Moon will make a triangle with Mercury and Saturn. The Moon will be 7 degrees to the upper left of Saturn and 7 degrees to the upper right of Mercury. The grouping will be a terrific, but challenging binocular target in the still-bright sky.
Uranus is in the eastern evening sky in the constellation Pisces during November. Just past opposition last month, it’s an all night target. At magnitude 5.7, it is not readily visible with unaided eyes, but binoculars or a small telescope can reveal its tiny blue-green dot. If you compare its position with the surrounding stars, you’ll notice that it is moving retrograde, or westward, a trick of parallax caused by earth’s faster motion around the sun.
Neptune, in the constellation Aquarius, is a very dim, nearly 8th-magnitude object visible only with very good binoculars or a telescope. It is visible from nightfall until about midnight, and moving retrograde, or westward, a trick of parallax caused by earth’s faster motion around the sun.
Night Sky Observing Tips
- Adjust to the dark: If you wish to observe faint objects, such as meteors or dim stars, give your eyes at least 15 minutes to adjust to the darkness.
- Light Pollution: Even from a big city, one can see the moon, a handful of bright stars and sometimes the brightest planets. But to fully enjoy the heavens — especially a meteor shower, the constellations, or to see the amazing swath across the sky that represents our view toward the center of the Milky Way Galaxy — rural areas are best for night sky viewing. If you’re stuck in a city or suburban area, a building can be used to block ambient light (or moonlight) to help reveal fainter objects. If you’re in the suburbs, simply turning off outdoor lights can help.
- Prepare for skywatching: If you plan to be out for more than a few minutes, and it’s not a warm summer evening, dress warmer than you think necessary. An hour of observing a winter meteor shower can chill you to the bone. A blanket or lounge chair will prove much more comfortable than standing or sitting in a chair and craning your neck to see overhead.
- Daytime skywatching: When Venus is visible (that is, not in front of or behind the sun) it can often be spotted during the day. But you’ll need to know where to look. A sky map is helpful. When the sun has large sunspots, they can be seen without a telescope. However, it’s unsafe to look at the sun without protective eyewear. See our video on how to safely observe the sun, or our safe sunwatching infographic.
Further Reading
Moon Phases: How the lunar cycle works, from full moon to new moon. Also find out when is the next full moon.
Constellations: The history of the Zodiac constellations and their place in night sky observing.
Lunar Eclipses: How they work, plus find out when’s the next lunar eclipse.
Solar Eclipses: How they work, the types, and when the next one occurs.
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http://www.space.com/16149-night-sky.html Night Sky: Visible Planets, Moon Phases & Events, November 2016
[bestandroiddoubledinheadunit950.blogspot.com]Night Sky: Visible Planets, Moon Phases & Events, November 2016
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