* Astronomy

Mercury: at magnitude -0.8, starts the month in the constellation Libra. Mercury is a morning object, very low in the ESE skies. The planet is Stationary: Getting Progradeon the 1st. On the 3rd to the 7th look for the planet just north of the bright star Spica. Best seen from 5.7h - 6.5h. The crescent Moon is close to the planet on the 7th. The planet shows a Half phase on the 7th. Greatest Elongation is on the 8th, (19.0° west of Sun ,in the morning).
(On November 1st, RA=13h28m25s Dec= -7°43.0' (J2000) Distance=0.791AU Elongation= 15° Phase k=22% Diameter=8.5")

Venus: is a morning star of magnitude -4.4, The planet is in constellation Leo at the start of the month. Venus is near to a waning crescent moon on the morning of November 5. It is best seen from 2.6h -15.3h. The Moon is close to the planet on the 5th. Venus is at Perihelion (distance to sun: 0.718 AU) on the 30th November. Venus is close (4.2deg) to Spica on the 30th.
(On November 1st, RA=11h30m27s Dec= +3°41.6' (J2000) Distance=0.718AU Elongation= 46° Phase k=52% Diameter=23.2")

	Moon Phase Now!

Earth: Autumn Equinox was on the 23rd September.

The Moon is at Perigee on the 24th November 00:00 UT, and at apogee on the 9th, at 12:48.7 UT (distance to earth center: 406667.2 km). There is an occultation of the star Regulus, in the constellation Leo, by the moon on the morning of November 3. The event can be seen from the southern United States and Mexico.

Mars: at magnitude -0.6 starts the month in the constellation Gemini. The planet rises at around 8:30 p.m. local time and is nearly overhead by midnight at the start of the month. The planet is Stationary: Getting Retrograde on the 15th. The planet is best seen from 19.7h - 6.5h. Mars apparent diameter grows to 10 arcsec on the 5th. The Moon is close to the planet on the 27th.
(On November 1st, RA= 6h48m44s Dec=+23°58.5' (J2000) Distance=0.765AU Elongation=118° Phase k=90% Diameter=12.2")

Jupiter: is still bright at magnitude -1.9 in the constellation Ophiuchus. Jupiter is very low in the southwest sky at dusk and sets within 3 hours of sunset this month. A thin waxing crescent moon joins Jupiter about an hour after sunset on November 3. The planet is best seen from 16.6h -18.3h. The Moon is close, 5 degrees, to Jupiter, on the 16th.
(On November 1st, RA=17h15m00s Dec=-22°45.7' (J2000) Distance=5.979AU Elongation= 41°)
The planet Jupiter is a source of huge radio storms. Click the link to hear the live audio stream.
The radio outbursts are in the frequency range 18 - 32 MHz. Sensitive receivers translate Jupiter's radio waves to audio sounds.
For alternative listening site.
for Great RedSpot Transit times.
Check forum for Satellite predictions.

Saturn: at magnitude 0.7 sits in the constellation Leo. The planet emerges is a morning object this month, rising in the eastern skies just after midnight. The planet is 3 degrees south of Venus on the 15th.
The planet is best seen from 1.1h - 6.5h. The Moon is close to the planet on the 4th.
(On November 1st, RA=10h34m43s Dec=+10°30.6' (J2000) Distance=9.679AU Elongation= 62°)
for interactive Saturn moon calculator .

Uranus is in the constellation Aquarius, near Lambda Aquarii, magnitude 3.7. Uranus at magnitude 5.7, has a bluish-green hue and appears 3.7 arcseconds wide. The planet is visible now in southern skies during early evening.; this very dim object can be seen in binoculars or better still, small telescope, as a very blue-green starlike object. Uranus is Stationary: Getting Prograde on the 24th. The planet is best seen from 17.9h - 1.3h. The Moon is close to the planet on the 19th.
This month the planet is located 1.5 degrees away from the 4th magnitude star Phi Aquarii.
(On November 1st, RA=23h05m31s Dec= -6°41.5' (J2000) Distance=19.494AU Elongation=126°)

Neptune: in the constellation Capricornus less than 3 degrees northeast of the 4.3 mag star Iota Capricornii. The planet is low in the southwestern sky during early evening. A telescope will usually show a tiny bluish dot, only 2.5 arcseconds wide (mag 7.9). Neptune is best seen from 18.6h -19.6h. Neptune is stationary: Getting Prograde in the 31st. The Moon is close the planet on the 17th.
(On November 1st, RA=21h26m36s Dec=-15°21.4' (J2000) Distance=29.851AU Elongation=100°)

Pluto is in the constellation Sagittarius (mag 13.9) is not visible in the southern sky this month. Normally, a finder chart is necessary to help in identifying the 0.1" diameter dwarf planet. The dwarf planet is best seen from 18.5h - 5.1h.
(On November 1st, RA=17h47m26s Dec=-16°57.6' (J2000) Distance=32.015AU Elongation= 48°)

The Sun enters the zodiac sign Sagittarius on the 22nd November.

Asteroid Ceres makes its closest approach to the Earth on the 12th.

There are many minor meteor showers this month...
The northern Taurids and southern Taurids start to become active about October 1st, but do not reach maximums until early November. Both have fairly slow meteors, with the northern Taurids velocity at 29 km per second, and the southern at 27 km per second. At maximum in November, both showers will peak at about ZHR rates of 5 meteors per hour. These meteors are part of the Taurid stream which in turn has been associated with Comet Encke.
Late Orionid rates typically continue until about November 7, long after their October peak, for post-midnight observers, but little is likely to be seen of them, thanks to the waning gibbous to last quarter Moon. In early November their radiant lies a few degrees east of the second magnitude star Geminorum.
The Leonid Meteor Shower is one of the better meteor showers to observe, producing an average of 60 meteors per hour at their peak. You can listen to them by tuning to the 67 MHz meteor radar in Roswell, NM.

Shower	Activity Period	Maximum	Radiant		Velocity	ZHR
		Date	R.A.	Dec.	km/s
Northern Taurids	Oct 1 - Nov	November	3.2h	17.5°	29km/s	5
Southern Taurids	Oct 1 - Nov	November			27km/s	5
Leonids	Nov 17-21	Nov 17 - 19
	for UK (A.Smith)	Radio Meteor Observation Station Track

 

-- Edited by Blobrana at 15:24, 2007-10-31

2007 11 05 22 UT    Meteor shower peak -- Southern Taurids
2007 11 08 21 UT    Mercury at greatest elongation, 19.0° west of Sun (morning)
2007 11 09 13 UT    Moon at apogee,  252,694 miles (406,671 km)
2007 11 11 18 UT    Mercury at greatest illuminated extent (morning)
2007 11 12 21 UT    Meteor shower peak -- Northern Taurids
2007 11 18 03 UT    Meteor shower peak -- Leonids       
2007 11 24 00 UT    Moon at perigee, 221,950 miles (357,194 km)