Abrams Planetarium
SKYWATCHER'S DIARY: November 1996
To the reader
The Skywatcher's Diary for November 1996 has been prepared by Robert C.
Victor. Sometimes you can see next month's in advance
by looking in our archives. Credit to
Abrams Planetarium,
Department of Physics and Astronomy at
Michigan State University, together with mention of our Sky Calendar, would be appreciated.
A sample back issue of Sky Calendar is available over the Internet. It
can be viewed via a World-Wide Web browser such as Netscape or
Mosaic, directly at URL:
http://www.pa.msu.edu/abrams/skycal.html
If you would like a printed sample, send a long, self-addressed stamped
envelope to:
November Sky Calendar
Abrams Planetarium
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824
Each month, the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Michigan
State University also makes Skywatcher's Diary available over the
Internet. It can be accessed via a World-Wide Web browser such as
Netscape or Mosaic, directly at URL:
http://www.pa.msu.edu/abrams/diary.html
The Skywatcher's Diary is also available via anonymous ftp at:
www.pa.msu.edu in the directory /pub/swd
ftp://www.pa.msu.edu/pub/swd/
Moon, Planets, and Comet Hale-Bopp in November
Morning Planets: Brilliant Venus rises ahead of the Sun, by about 3
hours on Nov. 1, and 2-1/2 hours on Nov. 30. One hour before
sunrise, Venus is well up in ESE to SE, while fainter Mars is high in SE
to S, 32 to 53 degrees upper right of Venus, and 2 to 17 degrees east
(lower left) of Regulus. Astrophotography project: See separate page.
A waning crescent Moon forms pretty groupings with planets and stars
in SE morning sky Nov. 4-9. In Skywatcher's Diary, keep in mind that
morning events are described on the previous date.
Evening planets: Bright Jupiter is in SSW to SW at dusk, getting lower
as month progresses; the Moon is nearby on Nov. 14 and 15. Saturn is
in ESE to SE at dusk, higher as month progresses; the Moon is nearby
on evenings of Nov. 19 and 20.
The Moon approaches Aldebaran on the night of Nov. 24.
Comet Hale-Bopp may attain first magnitude in March-April 1997.
During November 1996, it may brighten slowly to mag 4.5 (use
binoculars). Until it sinks into twilight glow in December, best time to
see comet remains around end of evening twilight, about 1-1/2 hours
after sunset. Best dates this month to observe Hale-Bopp: Nov. 1-17
and 26-30. See our November Sky Calendar for two finder charts
plotting the comet's position.
To find Comet Hale-Bopp about 1-1/2 hours after sunset, begin with
Summer Triangle: Deneb closest to overhead, Vega, the Triangle's
brightest star, high in west, and Altair high in SSW to SW. Next, locate
the 2nd-mag star Rasalhague, or Alpha in Ophiuchus, lower in WSW to
W. Marking the head of Ophiuchus the Serpent-bearer, Alpha Oph
stands out as it completes a nearly equilateral triangle, 30 to 34 degrees
on each side, with Vega and Altair. Once you're sure of Alpha, find
2.8-mag Beta Oph 8 deg to its lower left, using one of the two detailed
finder charts on our November Sky Calendar. Early in November,
Comet H-B is 8 deg lower left of Beta Oph. At midmonth, a line from
Alpha to Beta Oph, 8 deg long, extended 7 deg beyond Beta, ends at
comet. In November's closing days, Hale-Bopp is 7 deg left of Beta
Oph.
For more on Comet Hale-Bopp, try these Websites:
Comet Observation Home Page (JPL/NASA):
http://encke.jpl.nasa.gov/
Sky Online's Comet Page:
http://www.skypub.com/comets/comets.html
Press Info on H-B: http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/cfa/ps/HaleBopp.html
-
- One hour before sunrise on Saturday, Moon is high in southern sky,
with Procyon, in Canis Minor, the Little Dog, 12 degrees lower right.
Pollux and Castor, the heads of the Twins, are 14 deg and 19 deg to
Moon's upper right.
-
- An hour before sunrise on Sunday, the Last Quarter Moon is high in
SSE to S, midway between Procyon in SSW and Mars in SE, and 20
degrees from each. Regulus, heart of Leo, is within 3 deg to Mars'
right. At sunrise the Moon is well up in SSW, 90 deg or one-quarter
circle from the Sun. Note the Moon's left or east half is illuminated by
the Sun.
-
- An hour before sunup on Monday, Regulus is about 6 degrees left of
the fat crescent Moon. Mars is just over 3 degrees to Regulus' lower
left.
-
- On Tuesday an hour before sunrise, look high in SE above the waning
crescent Moon for Mars and Regulus within 4 degrees apart. Regulus is
upper right of Mars. Venus gleams in ESE about 32 deg to Moon's
lower left. Spica, hidden behind Sun just three weeks ago, twinkles 16
deg below Venus. Arcturus glitters north of east 33 deg to left of Venus
and Spica. These sights make it worth getting up early on Election Day!
-
- An hour before sunup on Wednesday, crescent Moon is well up in SE.
Mars and Regulus, just over 4 deg apart, are within 20 deg to Moon's
upper right, and Venus is about 20 deg to Moon's lower left. Look
carefully for a 3rd-mag star Gamma in Virgo 1.2 deg to left of Venus.
Observe daily to follow Venus' motion, 1.2 deg per day relative to this
star.
-
- Look in ESE an hour before sunup on Thursday for brilliant Venus
some 9 deg to lower left of crescent Moon. Spica is 13 deg below
Venus. Orange Arcturus shines 32 deg left of Venus. If sky is dark
enough, note 3rd-mag Gamma in Virgo 1.3 deg to Venus' upper left.
-
- About 2-1/2 hours before sunup on Friday, look very low a little south
of east for the rising crescent Moon with Venus within 2 or 3 degrees
upper left. Follow them until just after sunrise as they drift an additional
degree apart. Before sky gets too bright, notice Spica 12 degrees below
Venus. [From Hawaii on Friday from two hours before sunup until just
after sunup, Venus is 4 or 5 deg to Moon's upper left.]
-
- Face ESE an hour before sunup on Saturday. There you'll find the last
easy old crescent Moon very low in sky about 14 deg lower left of
brilliant Venus. Look for Spica 11 deg below Venus and 4 or 5 deg to
Moon's upper right.
-
- In the U.S. on Sunday morning, if sky is very clear, the best chance to
see the old Moon will be from E Coast, about 17 hours before New.
One hour before sunrise, note Spica 10 degrees below Venus, and
Arcturus 30 deg to Venus' left. Beginning half an hour before sunrise,
using binoculars, search for a hairline crescent within 2 deg above the
horizon about 16 deg south of due east. The Moon will be about 26 deg
lower left of Venus, 32 deg lower right of Arcturus, and 17 deg lower
left of Spica. Along a line connecting the following locations, the short
crescent will be ideally placed directly above the Sun: Myrtle Beach SC,
17 hours before New; Little Rock AR 16 hours before New. There will
be little chance to see this old Moon from as far west as New Mexico 15
hours before New, or the Bay area of California 14 hours before New.
-
- The Moon is New tonight at 11:16 p.m. EST. Who will be the first to
see the hairline-thin crescent Moon early Monday evening, with optical
aid? With unaided eye? From the west Coast of Africa, the Moon will be
less than 15 hours old, but visible only with optical aid. From
Venezuela the 18-hour Moon may be visible with unaided eye. From
both those locations, the Moon will be ideally placed, directly about the
Sun during twilight. Across the U.S. at civil twilight on Monday, when
the Sun is 6 degrees below the horizon -- about 30 minutes after sunset
from northern states, 25 minutes after sunset from Florida to southern
California -- the Moon will be within a few degrees above WSW
horizon, and binoculars are recommended. Viewers in northern states
will be at a disadvantage, with the Moon only a degree or two above
horizon. Observers from Florida to southern California and Hawaii,
where the Moon will appear a few degrees higher, will have the best
chance to see the Moon with unaided eye. More tomorrow. For
information on the youngest Moon ever seen (last Jan. 20), see
December 1996 Sky &Telescope, page 104.
-
- Between 15-30 minutes after sunset, use binoculars and try for the very
thin crescent Moon just a few degrees up in WSW. You'll need very
clear skies and an unobstructed view of the horizon. By then Jupiter
should be visible in SSW, with the Moon about 45 degrees to its lower
right. The Moon's age (elapsed time since New) for selected locations
within the U.S. at civil twilight is: Boston 17.7 hours; Miami 18.7
hours; Seattle 20.9 hours; San Diego 21.0 hours; Hawaii about 24
hours. If you see the Moon this evening, send us a note with the details
of your sighting: Your location, the sky conditions, instrument used, the
times you first saw the Moon with optical aid and with naked eye, and a
drawing of its appearance and orientation relative to the horizon. Send
your report to: MOONWATCH, Abrams Planetarium, Michigan State
University, East Lansing, MI 48824.
-
- Early this evening, the nearly 2-day-old Moon is very easy to see.
Forty-five minutes after sunset, look for the slender crescent very low in
SW to WSW. Another half-hour later, when twilight fades and the
Moon is about to set, use binoculars to look for Comet Hale-Bopp about
21 degrees above the Moon. A line from Alpha to Beta Ophiuchi, 8
degrees long, extended 7 degrees to Beta's lower right, ends near the
comet. See text above for tips on locating these stars and for more
information about the comet.
-
- About 1-1/4 hours after sunset (nearly at nightfall), the Moon is low in
SW with bright Jupiter 18 degrees to its upper left. Comet Hale-Bopp
appears as a 5th-magnitude fuzzy spot visible in binoculars 17 degrees
to Moon's upper right.
-
- The two brightest objects in the evening sky are in SSW to SW at dusk:
the Moon, with Jupiter within 6 degrees to its lower left.
-
- The Moon is in SSW at dusk, with Jupiter 11 degrees lower right. If
skies are clear, MSU Observatory will be open for public viewing
tonight and Saturday, 9 p.m. until 11 p.m., after the 8 p.m. showing of
"From Stardust to Life: A Cosmic Journey" at Abrams Planetarium.
Viewing will feature Saturn, with rings tipped only 3 degrees from
edge-on.
An hour before sunup on Saturday through Tuesday mornings, brilliant
Venus is in ESE with the first-magnitude star Spica 4 degrees to its
lower right. Can you detect day-to-day changes in their relative
positions? Each day, Spica is higher, and Venus lower.
-
- MSU Observatory tonight: See Friday, Nov. 15.
In Sunday's predawn hours, watch for Leonid meteors. Increasing
numbers of "shooting stars" should be seen in the 3-hour interval
ending around dawn's first light. Leonid meteors are among the fastest
known, entering Earth's atmosphere at a speed of 44 miles per second,
or nearly 160,000 miles per hour. For more on this meteor shower, see
the articles "The Leonids: Watching and Waiting" and "The Leonids'
Last Hurrah?" in Sky & Telescope November 1996, pp. 72-74, or on
SKY Online's Website at:
http://www.skypub.com/meteors/meteors.html
-
- As you face the setting Sun today, the Moon will be over your left
shoulder, in SSE. The Moon is 90 degrees or one-quarter of a circle to
east of the setting Sun, and is said to be at First Quarter phase. Note the
apparent shape of the Moonis half full, with the west (right) half
illuminated. For a few days around this date, as seen through a
telescope or even binoculars, the Moon's craters and other surface
features show spectacular detail.
As the sky darkens tonight, Jupiter and Saturn are 75 degrees apart with
the Moon about midway between them. Jupiter will overtake Saturn in
spring of the year 2000; during that season the two planets will be seen
within a few degrees of each other.
-
- At dawn's first light (1-1/2 hours before sunrise) on Tuesday, look low
ESE to find brilliant Venus with Spica 4 degrees to right. Mars is high
in SE, 11 degrees lower left of Regulus. This is a good week to start
photographing the motion of Mars against the stars.
-
- Tonight at dusk the Moon is in SE with Saturn about 8 degrees to its
lower left.
-
- Face SE at dusk to find the waxing gibbous Moon with Saturn about 6
degrees lower right.
-
- The Moon is in ESE at dusk. Look for Saturn 20 degrees to its upper
right.
-
- Tonight two hours after sunset, Moon is in ESE and Saturn is in SSE,
some 35 degrees to Moon's upper right. Aldebaran is low in ENE to E,
some 35 deg to Moon's lower left. So Moon tonight appears about
midway between Saturn and Aldebaran. Look nightly at this same time,
noting changes in Moon's position. Tonight a telescope shows Saturn's
brightest moon, Titan, farthest east in its 16-day orbit around the planet.
Look about 4 ring-lengths from the nearer end of the ring.
-
- Two hours after sunset, the Pleiades (Seven Sisters) star cluster is 14
degrees to Moon's left. The reddish first-magnitude star Aldebaran, the
"follower" (of the Pleiades), twinkles 14 deg below that cluster and 21
deg to Moon's lower left.
-
- This evening the Frosty or Beaver Full Moon rises in ENE within a few
minutes after the Sun sets in WSW. By two hours after sunset
Aldebaran, eye of Taurus the Bull, is just 8 degrees to Moon's lower
left, or even closer as seen from western U.S. By an hour before
sunrise on Monday the Moon will creep about 5 degrees closer to star.
They'll be low in the western sky then, with the star to Moon's upper
left.
-
- By an hour after sunset, Moon has just risen in ENE. Aldebaran is just
4 degrees to Moon's upper right, or farther as seen from western states.
By an hour before sunup on Tuesday, Moon will appear about 5
degrees farther from the star.
-
- Four hours after sunset, locate waning gibbous Moon in E. Betelgeuse,
Orion's shoulder, is 11 deg to Moon's lower right. Rigel, Orion's foot,
is 19 deg right of Betelgeuse. Midway between these stars, look for
three stars in a vertical line -- the Hunter's belt!
-
- Four hours after sunset, Moon is in E to ENE, about midway between
Betelgeuse in E and Pollux in ENE, 16-17 deg from each. Castor is 4-
1/2 deg above Pollux. Pollux and Castor mark the heads of the Gemini
twins.
-
- Five hours after sunset, Moon is in E, with Pollux 12 deg upper left,
and Procyon, the Little Dog star, nearly as far to Moon's lower right.
-
- Five hours after sunset, the Moon is low, north of east, with Pollux and
Castor, the Gemini twins, 17-21 degrees above. Procyon, whose name
means "before the dog", is nearly due east, 15 deg to Moon's upper
right. The Dog Star itself, Sirius, has already risen in ESE, 26 deg right
of Procyon. Follow Orion's belt downward to Sirius.
-
- An hour before sunup on Sunday, Moon is high in SW, two-thirds full.
Regulus, heart of Leo, is 10 degrees to Moon's upper left. Mars is in
south, 17 deg east (left) of Regulus.
-
- On Monday an hour before sunup, Moon is high in SSW and just over
half full. Regulus is within 5 degrees to Moon's upper right, and Mars
about 15 degrees to Moon's left.
-
- An hour before sunrise on Tuesday, Moon is high in south and just
under half full. Reddish Mars is 5 degrees to Moon's upper left. If you
look before dawn brightens, note 4th-mag star Sigma in Leo about a
degree to Mars' lower left. On Thursday morning Mars will pass within
half a degree from Sigma. Look daily to follow Mars' motion, now just
under half a degree per day.
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