Sky Events November 2015

Moon Phases

Tuesday, November 3, 7:24 a.m. EST

Last Quarter Moon

The Last Quarter Moon rises around 11 p.m. and sets around 1 p.m. It is most easily seen just after sunrise in the southern sky.

Wednesday, November 11, 12:47 p.m. EST

New Moon

The Moon is not visible on the date of New Moon because it is too close to the Sun, but can be seen low in the East as a narrow crescent a morning or two before, just before sunrise. It is visible low in the West an evening or two after New Moon.

Thursday, November 19, 1:27 a.m. EST

First Quarter Moon

The First Quarter Moon rises around 12:30 p.m. and sets around 11:30 p.m. It dominates the evening sky.

Wednesday, November 25, 5:44 p.m. EST

Full Moon

The November Full Moon is known as the Beaver Moon or Frosty Moon. It rises around sunset and sets around sunrise; this is the only night in the month when the Moon is in the sky all night long. The rest of the month, the Moon spends at least some time in the daytime sky.

Observing Highlights

Venus and Mars

Tuesday, November 3, dawn

Venus and Mars are less than a degree apart, with Jupiter nearby. Venus is by far the brightest of the three, with Mars a tiny red dot just above brilliant white Venus.

Jupiter and the Moon

Friday, November 6, dawn

Jupiter will be 2 degrees north of the Moon, with Mars and Venus nearby.

Venus and the Moon

Saturday, November 7, dawn

Venus will be 1.2 degrees north of the Moon, with Mars and Jupiter nearby.

Leonid meteors

Wednesday, November 18, midnight to dawn

Although not predicted to be active this year, this shower has often performed well in the past, and is worth a look.

Occultation of Aldebaran

Thursday, November 26, before sunrise

For observers in Canada and the northern USA, the Moon will pass in front of the bright red giant star Aldebaran in Taurus. The exact times of disappearance and reappearance will vary depending on your location. A program like Starry Night will give you the exact times for your location.

Planets

Mercury is too close to the Sun to be observed this month.

Venus continues to shine brightly at dawn all month.

Mars, in the morning sky, moves from Leo into Virgo on November 1, and continues to move eastward in Virgo for the rest of the month. It starts the month close to Jupiter, and ends it halfway between Jupiter and Venus.

Jupiter shines brightly in Leo in the eastern pre-dawn sky all month.

Saturn is too close to the Sun to be observed all month.

Uranus is well placed in Pisces in the evening sky all month.

Neptune is well placed in the evening sky all month in the constellation Aquarius.

Geoff Gaherty
Starry Night Software Support
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