What’s Up in the November Sky – Amateur Astronomers Association

Sky Safari star map annotated with Annotable by Peter Tagatac.

November’s Evening Planets

Mars will be up until midnight this month, moving between Capricornus the Sea Goat and Aquarius the Water Bearer. Saturn and dwarf Pluto will be in Sagittarius the Archer until 8PM and setting earlier every night until 6 PM by the end of the month. Mercury will be in Scorpius the Scorpion until around 6 PM in the first half of the month. Jupiter will be in Libra the Scales for about one hour after sunset close to the horizon, in the first half of November. Uranus will be in Pisces the Fish and Neptune in Aquarius the Water Bearer.

November’s Evening Stars

Spot the Summer Triangle of Vega in Lyra the Harp, Deneb in Cygnus the Swan, and Altair in Aquila the Eagle until 11 PM, setting earlier every night. The Winter Triangle of Sirius (the brightest star viewed from Earth) in Canis Major the Great Dog, Betelgeuse in Orion the Hunter, and Procyon in Canis Minor the Small Dog will be visible as of at 11 PM. See bright Capella in Auriga the Charioteer, Aldebaran in Taurus the Bull, and Fomalhaut. Also, the stars of constellations Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Perseus, Cepheus, Draco, Pegasus, Aries, Taurus, Pisces, and Ursa Major and Ursa Minor (the Big and Little Dippers).

November’s Morning Planets

Bright Venus will be in Virgo the Maiden as of 4 AM in the second half of November. Uranus will be in Pisces until 6 AM, setting earlier each night until 4 AM by the end of the month.

November’s Morning Stars

The Winter Triangle of Sirius, Betelgeuse, and Procyon will be up until Sunrise. Spot Capella in Auriga, Aldebaran in Taurus the Bull, Rigel in Orion, and the stars of Aries, Gemini, Orion, Pisces, Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Draco, Cepheus, Perseus, Hydra, Leo, and Ursa Major and Ursa Minor (the Big and Little Dippers).

November Skylights

Nov 1 Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars align (Sunset)
Nov 5 Moon is 10° north of Venus (Sunset)
Nov 7 New Moon at 11:00 AM
Nov 14 Moon at apogee (251,200 miles away)
Nov 15 First Quarter Moon at 9:55 AM
Nov 17 Leonid Meteor Shower peaks – predawn
Nov 23 Full Moon at 12:40 AM
Nov 26 Moon at perigee (227,800 miles away)
Nov 29 Last quarter moon at 7:20 PM

Times given in EDT.