What’s Up in the November Sky
November’s Evening Planets:
Saturn and dwarf Pluto will be in Sagittarius the Archer until 9 PM and setting earlier every night until 7 PM by the end of the month. Venus will be round between Scorpius the Scorpion and Sagittarius the Archer until around 6 PM. Jupiter will be between Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer and Sagittarius the Archer until around 6 PM close to the horizon. 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 around 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 in Piscis Austrinus the Southern Fish. 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:
Mercury will be between Virgo the Maiden and Libra the Scales as of 5 AM in the second half of November. See Mars as of 4 AM in Virgo the Maiden. 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 2 Moon is 0.5° south of Saturn (predawn)
- Nov 4 First Quarter Moon at 5:25 AM
- Nov 7 Moon at apogee (251,700 miles away)
- Nov 11 Mercury Transits the Sun – 7:35-1:04 AM
- Nov 12 Full Moon at 8:35 AM
- Nov 17 Leonid Meteor Shower peaks – predawn
- Nov 19 Last quarter moon at 4:11 PM
- Nov 23 Moon at perigee (227,900 miles away)
- Nov 24 Moon is 2° north of Mercury
- Nov 26 New Moon at 10:06 AM
- Nov 27 Mercury, Mars, and Spica align (predawn)
Times given in EDT.
Resources
Download Ken Graun’s October 2019 sky chart for reference and observing ideas.
Another equally helpful resource is Skymaps monthly evening sky charts available for different hemispheres. Download November’s The Evening Sky Map.