THE SKY THIS MONTH
ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS FOR NOVEMBER 2011
Nov 1-15: Venus and Mercury remains in pair in W-SW at the time of dusk. The separation is within 2 degrees.
Nov 2: First Quarter Moon
Nov 4: See the pair of Venus and Mercury, very low in the W-SW. A binocular will show Mercury only 28’ from Delta Scorpii. The angular distance between Mercury and Venus is about 2 degrees this time.
Nov 9: See the grouping of Venus, Mercury and Antares within 4 degrees of the sky very low in the W-SW.
Nov 9: Moon and Jupiter just 4.5 degrees apart.
Nov 10: Venus, Mercury and Antares in a straight line, but very low in the W-SW.
Nov 11: Mars is just 1 degree 19’ from Regulus.
Nov 11: Full Moon
Nov 14: Mercury Greatest Eastern Elongation
Nov 17-18: The Leonid Meteor Shower will peak. The Moon is bright and waning from full on all three dates, with last quarter on November 18.
Nov 18: Last Quarter Moon
Nov 19: The Moon, Mars and Regulus forms a triangle within 8 degrees of the sky.
Nov 21: Neptune Eastern Quadrature
Nov 23: See the lovely group of Saturn, Spica and a Crescent Moon in the eastern sky shortly before morning twilight.
Nov 25: A Partial Solar Eclipse will occur and will be visible across Antarctica and New Zealand near Sunset. Parts of the western Antarctic Peninsula will experience nearly 90% obscuration of the sun.
Nov 26: A binocular will show a nice view of Mercury just within 2 degrees of a Waxing Crescent Moon (1.46 days old) very low in the W-SW shortly after sunset.
Nov 27: Venus and a Waxing Crescent Moon (2.5 days old) within 5 degrees apart in the Southwest shortly after sunset.
