Items Featured In TGP NOMINAL Xtra - November Skies 2021
Ross Hockham's November Sky Guide:
Saturn and Jupiter are up at the moment, just as the Sun sets.
You will be able see them both until they set themself.
Saturn will be setting at around 21:30 and Jupiter at around 23:00.
You can’t miss The King Of The Planets, as Jupiter is shining bright and high with a dimmer Saturn to it's right.
Mercury starts rising just before 6am, with Mars just below it.
But the Sun will be following them soon after, giving you maybe an hour or so to spot them to the East.
Neptune is up as the Sun sets, probably best seen from 18:00. It’s located between the constellations Aquarius (The Water Bearer) and Pisces (The Fish) (kind of in the middle of nowhere). A bit of star hopping is essential to find it, setting around 01:30am. So there will be plenty of time to see it. |
We spoke about the famous Rosetta Mission Comet last month 67P Churyumov-Gerasimenko
and it’s still up this month to spy or capture in a picture.
It starts the month not far from the star Pollux in the constellation Gemini (The Twins)
passing below it and towards the constellation Cancer (The Crab).
On the morning of the 2nd, Mercury and the star Spica will look cool in the sky along with a thin crescent moon
above right of them
Draw a line from the Moon to Mercury and carry on you may spot a faint Mars just rising
but it will be a hard spot as the Sun rises.
On the morning of the 3rd, there’s another chance to spot the Moon and Mercury
this time forming a triangle between them and the star Spica.
The moon will be very thin above them.
In the evening, look for the star Aldebaran below the cool M45 Pleiades cluster in the constellation Taurus (The Bull).
The largest object in the Asteroid Belt, Ceres will be near Aldebaran best later as it rises.
It will be just below left of the bright red star, giving you a great chance to spot it in binoculars or telescopes.
this time forming a triangle between them and the star Spica.
The moon will be very thin above them.
In the evening, look for the star Aldebaran below the cool M45 Pleiades cluster in the constellation Taurus (The Bull).
The largest object in the Asteroid Belt, Ceres will be near Aldebaran best later as it rises.
It will be just below left of the bright red star, giving you a great chance to spot it in binoculars or telescopes.
There's a Morning Moon Hunt on the 4th, see if you can spot the tiny 1% lit Moon
just below left Mercury with Mars just to its right.
It's a tough spot, needing a low clear horizon to be able to see it.
Uranus reaches opposition in the constellation Aries (The Ram) on the night of the 5th.
It is in a very favourable position to spot, in fact it is the highest it has been in our skies for 50 years
so well worth trying to find this month.
We'll go into more detail about this later on , as it's our Telescope Object Of The Month, this month.
On the afternoon of the 6th, the Jovian Moon Callisto transits Jupiter around 16:45.
So have a peek, as soon as the Sun starts setting.
Callisto will be leaving the planet at 21:20.
There is an evening challenge for you on the 7th!
See if you can spot a thin crescent Moon with Venus in the evening sky.
They will be pretty low in the Southwestern sky, probably just peeking above the horizon.
Jupiter and Saturn will be higher to their left.
On the 8th, pop out again this evening to spot a slightly higher slightly fuller Moon moving away from Venus.
On the evening of the 9th, pop your scopes on Jupiter to see Ganymede's shadow transit ending at 18:36.
Another chance to see a moon transit a planet.
On the 10th as the Sun sets, our Moon will be not far from Saturn
creating a cool triangle between them and the higher Jupiter.
As the Moon moves towards Jupiter on the evening of the 11th.
Take a peek with binoculars or a telescope and see if you can spot the Lunar X and V on the shadow part of the Moon.
A cool effect caused by the sunlight glinting off the tips of craters.
On the 12th, in the evening, The Northern Taurid Meteor Shower peaks.
Although at only 5 meteors per hour, it does have have a broad peak and the meteors look to burn slowly across the sky
making cool bright streaks and leaving trails after them.
They will be radiating just to the right of the bright cluster M45 Pleiades.
The Northern Taurid Meteor Shower was caused by the debris left by comet Encke which orbits the Sun every 3.3 years.
On the 16th, have a look at Jupiter for a chance to see Ganymede's shadow transit across the planet from 19:00 until 22:30 followed by the Moon itself at 2am.
An all nighter may be in order!
The 17th is the peak of The Leonid Meteor Shower, but there is a bright Moon in the way.
these meteors are associated with the Comet Tempel-Tuttle radiating from the constellation Leo (The Lion)
They are said to have meteor storms every 33 years or so.
I doesn’t rise rise until around 4am and radiate from around Leo's head
The ISS will be visible from the UK this month.
So keep an eye out on Trackers or the UK Astronomy Facebook Group to see when to spot it flying over as times and locations differ. |
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On the evening of the 27th, The largest object in the Asteroid Belt, Ceres is at opposition
Situated between Mars and Jupiter, they say it’s even possible to spot through binoculars.
So if you missed it earlier in the month, pop out and spot it.
It can be found above and to the right of the star Aldebaran
and below the M45 Pleiades Star Cluster in the constellation Taurus (The Bull).
Whilst out with your scope have a peek at our Moon.
Near the bottom right edge of the Mare Nubium here you may spot Rupes Recta
a cool valley on the Moon.
There are also loads more fault/impact lines around this area so have fun looking around.
Situated between Mars and Jupiter, they say it’s even possible to spot through binoculars.
So if you missed it earlier in the month, pop out and spot it.
It can be found above and to the right of the star Aldebaran
and below the M45 Pleiades Star Cluster in the constellation Taurus (The Bull).
Whilst out with your scope have a peek at our Moon.
Near the bottom right edge of the Mare Nubium here you may spot Rupes Recta
a cool valley on the Moon.
There are also loads more fault/impact lines around this area so have fun looking around.
Naked Eye Object Of The Month:
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Get up early on the 19th for a treat, as our Moon will be partially eclipsed by Earth's shadow visible as the Moon sets. Starting at 6am with the Penumbra (The outer edge of the shadow) until the darker Umbra phase at 7:15am. Just as it sets in the UK but with a clear low horizon you see it darken more as our shadow passes over it. |
Binocular Object Of The Month:
Comet 2021 A1 Leonard, starts the month between the constellations Canes Venatici and Coma Berenices.
Moving slowly towards the constellation Bootes as the month goes on.
They think it will become bright enough to be seen through binoculars.
Telescope Object Of The Month:
Uranus is at its best this month! Rising just as the Sun sets
With the M45 Pleiades or seven sisters cluster to its left in the constellation Taurus (The Bull).
Uranus itself is located nearer the head of the constellation Cetus (The Kraken Or Sea Monster).
Between it and the constellation Aries (The Ram).
Various Videos:
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