SkyEye

Welcome to SkyEye, your guide to this month's celestial events. All dates are based on Universal Time (UT).

Brief Calendar of Events

DateEvent
4 Mon Moon at perigee
New Moon
9 Sat Jupiter at west quadrature
11 Mon First Quarter Moon
14 Thu Mercury at superior conjunction
16 Sat Moon at apogee
17 Sun Uranus at east quadrature
Leonids meteor shower
20 Wed Full Moon
Penumbral lunar eclipse
21 Thu Alpha Monocerotids meteor shower
27 Wed Last Quarter Moon

The Sun and Moon

As seen from the Earth, the Sun is moving from the constellation Libra through the constellation Scorpio to the non-zodiacal constellation Ophiuchus.

A Blue Moon is popularly defined as the second Full Moon in a calendar month. However, this definition is based upon an error appearing in a 1946 edition of a popular American astronomy magazine! An older tradition defines a Blue Moon as the "third Full Moon in a season which has four." If we use the same definition of the seasons as the Maine Farmer's Almanac (which utilises the right ascension of the mean Sun instead of astronomical calculations), then the November Full Moon is a Blue Moon.

The Planets

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.
Mercury
Mercury is lost to view for most of the this month as it reaches superior conjunction on 14 November. It races through the constellations Virgo, Libra, Scorpius and Ophiuchus in just 30 days.
Venus
Venus emerges from the morning twilight to become the "morning star" for the rest of the year. Look for it before sunrise in the constellation Virgo.
Mars
Solstice occurs on the red planet on 3 November, bringing summer to the northern hemisphere and winter to the south. Watch it in the early morning hours near the end of the month as it moves past the first-magnitude star Spica in the constellation Virgo.
Jupiter
Jupiter is at west quadrature on 9 November, making this the best time to observe interesting shadow interplay between the giant planet and its four largest moons. This gas giant rises in late evening in the constellation Cancer.
Saturn
The ringed planet continues to brighten as it approaches next month's opposition. Saturn rises in the early evening in the constellations Orion and Taurus.
Uranus
Uranus is found near its solar system neighbour, Neptune, in the constellation Capricornus. This faint planet reaches east quadrature on 17 November.
Neptune
Setting before midnight, Neptune is found in the constellation Capricornus.
Pluto
Pluto sets early in the evening in the constellation Ophiuchus and may be too close to the Sun to seen at this time.

Minor Planets, Comets and Meteors

Minor Planets
A number of interesting minor planets populate the solar system.
Comets
There are no naked-eye comets visible this month.
Meteors
Will the Leonids shower or storm this year? Unfortunately, a nearly full Moon will seriously interfere with observations, whether the peak occurs on 17 November or two days later, depending on whose prediction you believe. The Alpha Monocerotids meteor shower is similarly lost to bright skies.

The Celestial Sphere

Constellations are patterns of stars in the sky. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) recognises 88 different constellations. The brightest stars as seen from the Earth are easy to spot but do you know their proper names? With a set of binoculars you can look for fainter objects such as nebulae and galaxies or some of the closest stars to the Sun.

Descriptions of the sky for observers in both the northern and southern hemispheres are available for the following times this month. Subtract one hour from your local time if daylight savings time is in effect. (Note: These times are approximate.)

Northern Hemisphere : 45° N

Southern Hemisphere : 30° S

For More Information...

Credits

Much of this information can be found in this month's issue of your favourite amateur astronomy magazine available in your local bookshop. Another excellent source is the current edition of the Astronomical Calendar by Guy Ottewell and published by the Universal Workshop at Furman University.

The image of the Sun in the SkyEye banner is courtesy of the SOHO/EIT consortium. SOHO is a project of international cooperation between ESA and NASA. Used with permission.

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Last modified on 31 October 2002
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