* Astronomy

Blobrana · L

RE: November 2009

Blobrana · L

On the 23rd November, at about 7-8pm, a quarter Moon is near (~2°) to the planet Jupiter.
Neptune at 7.9th magnitude is 4° to the upper left of Jupiter.

Blobrana · L

The variable star Mira in the constellation Cetus, the Whale, reaches peak brightness on the 18th November, 2009. The star may exceed the brightness of (magnitude +2.5) Menkar.

Blobrana · L

Minor-planets and comets that are predicted to come within 0.2 AU of the earth during this month.
(Details are in the calendar section)

Object (and name)         Date of encounter (TT)        Distance            Orbit arc               
                           JD          Calendar            (AU)

         2009 UK14         2455136.73  2009 Nov.  1.23   0.02338    1-opposition, arc =   8 days  
         2009 UM28         2455137.82  2009 Nov.  2.32   0.09057    1-opposition, arc =   1 days         
(217807) 2000 XK44         2455139.90  2009 Nov.  4.40   0.07395       4 oppositions, 1975-2009         
         2000 XK44         2455139.90  2009 Nov.  4.40   0.07395       4 oppositions, 1975-2009           
         2009 US19         2455140.44  2009 Nov.  4.94   0.03980    1-opposition, arc =   2 days          
         2009 UH14         2455141.89  2009 Nov.  6.39   0.03633    1-opposition, arc =   9 days          
         2009 UL28         2455141.94  2009 Nov.  6.44   0.03983    1-opposition, arc =   4 days         
         2002 KM3          2455143.21  2009 Nov.  7.71   0.07827    1-opposition, arc =  27 days           
         2009 TA1          2455144.59  2009 Nov.  9.09   0.09573    1-opposition, arc =  26 days           
         2009 UP1          2455146.86  2009 Nov. 11.36   0.07618    1-opposition, arc =   8 days          
         2009 UK20         2455147.84  2009 Nov. 12.34   0.01680    1-opposition, arc =   4 days        
         2000 WN10         2455148.16  2009 Nov. 12.66   0.1397        7 oppositions, 2000-2006          
         2009 UD19         2455148.43  2009 Nov. 12.93   0.06214    1-opposition, arc =   6 days         
         2001 XV266        2455150.97  2009 Nov. 15.47   0.1196        3 oppositions, 2001-2006       
         2009 UF2          2455151.66  2009 Nov. 16.16   0.06264    1-opposition, arc =   9 days      
         2006 US216        2455153.89  2009 Nov. 18.39   0.05664       4 oppositions, 2005-2008          
         1998 VF32         2455157.52  2009 Nov. 22.02   0.04260       3 oppositions, 1998-2008           
         2009 TK12         2455157.53  2009 Nov. 22.03   0.07104    1-opposition, arc =  17 days          
         2001 WW1          2455160.62  2009 Nov. 25.12   0.1119        2 oppositions, 2001-2005

Blobrana · L

Mars is moving into the evening sky. Look low down in the east after 11pm during late October and early November, then progressively earlier as winter wears on until, by Christmas, it's rising at about 7.30pm and is well up in the east by 9pm. People talk about Mars being red, but it's more of a salmon pink colour. It is less bright than Jupiter, but still brighter than most stars.
Read more

Blobrana · L

Jupiter dominates November skies

Jupiter dominates the evening skies of November. As evening twilight darkens, Jupiter will be found shining brightly, high in the southern sky. Viewing Jupiter through a telescope will reveal its four largest moons and red-coloured bands on its surface.
Read more

Blobrana · L

Look out for meteors, comets, the northern lights and satellites

Expect enhanced numbers of meteors on and around 17 November, when the Leonid meteors occur (about one every 10 minutes under average conditions), 14 December with the Geminids (one every minute or two) and 4 January with the Quadrantids, again one every minute or two.
Read more

Blobrana · L

For November, the Moon will be full, the Hunter's Moon, on Nov. 2, so the first two weeks of the month will thus find the Moon waning and not visible in the evening sky. The last quarter moon passes three degrees south of Mars on Nov. 9; the waning crescent moon passes seven degrees south of Saturn on Nov. 12, and a thin waning crescent lies six degrees south of Venus on the morning of the Nov. 15, with the new moon on the 16th. The last two weeks of November finds the moon waxing in the evening sky, with the waxing crescent passing 3 degrees north of Jupiter on Nov. 23, then reaching first quarter phase and appearing almost overhead at sunset on Nov. 24.

Read more

Blobrana · L

This month, we have two meteor showers, the Hunter's Moon and Jupiter dominating the evening skies. But let's talk of the stars first.
Along the Zodiac, from east to west, you can now observe the constellations Taurus, Aries, Pisces, Capricornus and Sagittarius. Just below Aries the Ram, enjoy the brilliant constellation Cetus the Whale, with its reddish, super giant binary star Mira, which will vary in brightness over successive nights. Note that the tail of Pisces the Fish points directly to Mira. Though summer has already given way to autumn, the well-known asterism of the Great Summer Triangle is still visible in the western skies. The Great Square (Pegasus) is just overhead.

Read more

Blobrana · L

The northern Taurids and southern Taurids started 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.
The Taurids produce bright slow moving orange fireballs.
At maximum in November, both showers will peak at about ZHR rates of 5 meteors per hour.
The Southern Taurids will peak around the 5th November and the Northern Taurids the 12th November. Both these meteor showers are part of the Taurid stream which in turn has been associated with Comet Encke.