A portrait of Orion and the northern winter Milky Manner. (Photograph by: Alan Dyer/VW PICS/Common … [+]
November 2023 will likely be a wonderful month to go stargazing. It could be getting colder exterior above the equator, however there’s lots to see within the night time sky as daylight financial savings come to an finish in North America.
From a full moon and a full planet to precisely when to look at Venus in conjunction and a significant meteor bathe, listed below are the sky-watching highlights for November 2023:
Jupiter reaches opposition early this month.
1. Jupiter At Its Brightest And Finest
When: After darkish on Thursday and Friday, November 2-3
The place: Jap sky
Tonight sees Jupiter attain its annual opposition round midnight EST, which places it as its largest, brightest and finest in 2023. It can occur as a result of Earth will likely be exactly between Jupiter and the solar, with the large planet consequently showing absolutely lit as seen from Earth. From our standpoint, it will likely be 100% “full” and rise within the east at sundown and set within the west at dawn. It’s the perfect time of 12 months to see Jupiter both with the bare eye, binoculars or a small telescope, however you don’t need to be particular—any time this month is a good time to have a look at Jupiter and its moons.
2. The Return Of Orion
When: Two hours after darkish
The place: Jap sky
Orion—and particularly the three stars of Orion’s Belt—is an icon of the winter sky above the equator. It remerges into the early night night time sky this month, with the “Three Kings”—Alnitak, Alnilam and Mintaka—rising in a vertical line due east. Both aspect will likely be shiny, ruddy star Betelgeuse and blue supergiant Rigel.
Crescent Moon with Venus planet beside at night time
3. Moon And Venus In Conjunction
When: Earlier than dawn on Thursday, November 9
The place: Jap sky
Rise earlier than daybreak and also you’ll see a 15% waning crescent moon seem near Venus, which is presently shining brightly within the pre-dawn sky in its apparition because the “Morning Star.”
4. A Stunning Crescent Moon
When: Wednesday-Friday, November 15-17
The place: Western sky
Look southwest after sundown over these three nights and also you’ll see the stunning sight of a crescent moon. On Wednesday it will likely be 7%-lit, on Thursday 14% and on Friday 23%, which ought to make it doable to additionally see “Earthshine” on the darkish limb of the moon—daylight mirrored from Earth again on to the lunar floor. Having emerged from the glare of the solar the moon will now seem to develop every day because it orbits Earth and will get farther from the solar.
The Leonid meteor bathe as seen from Vladivostok, Russia on November 17, 2022. (Photograph by Guo … [+]
5. Peak Of The Leonids
When: Friday/Saturday, November 17/18
The place: All-sky
Normally producing about 15 “taking pictures stars” per hour, the Leonid meteor bathe isn’t probably the greatest of the 12 months, however it’s reliable. It’s additionally noteworthy for its “taking pictures stars” having lengthy and shiny trains. Pencil-in tonight as night time to go stargazing—you would possibly get very fortunate and see a stunning Leonid.
6. The Moon Glides Shut To Jupiter
When: After darkish on Friday and Saturday, November 24-25
The place: Jap sky
Look due east after darkish and you will see a 93% waxing gibbous moon shining simply above Jupiter, which can nonetheless be trying fabulous just a few weeks after its opposition. Come again the next night and also you’ll see the 2 have swapped sides, with the moon shining much more brightly than final night time, however now positioned to the decrease left of Jupiter.
The total “Beaver Moon” rising behind Gran Sasso d’Italia on November 7, 2022. (Photograph by Lorenzo Di … [+]
7. A Full ‘Beaver Moon’
When: Nightfall on Monday, November 27
The place: Jap sky
Tonight sees the rise of the “Beaver Moon,” additionally known as the “Frosty Moon” and the “Lengthy Nights Moon,” which can seem on the japanese horizon this night in a blaze of colour. There’s nothing significantly particular about this one—it’s not a “supermoon,” for instance—however the full moon rising every month is one in every of nature’s most lovely sights. Don’t miss it!
Wishing you clear skies and broad eyes.
