THE SKY For November 2011

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.