SkyEye

The Calendar

Venus emerges from the solar glare as the morning star, reaching a blazing −4.7 magnitude by the end of the month. The Leonid meteor shower is worth a look mid-month, with minimal interference from moonlight.

The Solar System

The word planet is derived from the Greek word for 'wanderer'. Unlike the background stars, planets seem to move around the sky, keeping mostly to a narrow track called the ecliptic, the path of the Sun across the stars. Dwarf planets and small solar-system bodies, including comets, are not so constrained, often moving far above or below the ecliptic.

Sun Libra → Scorpius → Ophiuchus

Although Ophiuchus is not a member of the zodiac, the ecliptic passes through it.

Mercury Scorpius → Ophiuchus → Libra

Rising high in the western sky for observers in the southern hemisphere, Mercury reaches greatest elongation east on 6 November and then descends towards the horizon, vanishing in the Sun's glare by mid-month and undergoing inferior conjuntion on 27 November. The tiny planet can be found within 2° of the bright star Antares on 9 November. A stationary point is reached on 17 November, when Mercury goes from direct to retrograde motion in the sky.

Venus Virgo

The morning star appears early in the month and rises rapidly in the east ahead of the Sun. It moves from retrograde to direct motion on 14 November and on the same day, it appears less than half a degree away from the first-magnitude star Spica. Venus reaches maximum brightness (magnitude −4.7) on the last day of the month.

Earth and Moon

The Moon makes some close passes by planets this month. Saturn appears 1.5° south of our satellite on 11 November and five days later, the southernmost regions of South America sees Mars disappear behind the Moon's disk.

The waxing gibbous Moon sets late on 17 November but the radiant of the Leonid meteor shower also rises late so there should not be too much interference. Peak activity is predicted to be around 23:30 UT. However, the nearly Full Moon on 21 November destroys any hope of viewing the α Monocerotid meteor shower.

Mars Capricornus → Aquarius

Mars is visible from both hemispheres, setting around midnight. On 16 November, some regions of Earth will see the Moon occult the red planet.

Jupiter Libra → Scorpius

The largest planet in the solar system is at conjunction on 26 November and is not visible.

Saturn Sagittarius

Saturn is drawing closer to the Sun and conjunction. It is low in the west at sunset. Look for it near the waxing crescent Moon on 11 November.

Uranus Aries

At opposition last month, this green-coloured ice giant is visible for much of the night, not setting until after midnight.

Neptune Aquarius

A small telescope is necessary to view the most distant planet in the solar system. It sets around midnight. On 25 November, Neptune reaches a stationary point and resumes direct motion.