Woking Planetarium

Read our November sky notes to find out what’s in the night sky this month!

Map

Constellations

These constellations are well placed in the evening this month, but many more can be seen. Check the star map for more.

Aquila can be seen early in the evening sky, appearing in the south and setting towards the west. You can see it until around 22:00 GMT at the beginning of the month, and 19:30 GMT at the end of the month. It can be found by its brightest star is Altair.

Perseus is visible the whole night and reaches the zenith around 23:00 GMT at the beginning of the month and 21:30 GMT at the end of it. It appears just over the north east horizon at sunset, and moves across the north to disappear low in the north west at sunrise. Perseus contains many star clusters, visible with binoculars.

Pisces is a seasonal constellation in the zodiacal band and can be seen for most of the night. At the beginning of the month, it rises in the south east around sunset and moves across the southern sky to set in the south west at sunrise. Its path is largely the same at the end of the month, but it sets much earlier around 02:00 GMT.

Planets

Mercury is too close to the Sun to be seen this month. It reaches greatest eastern elongation on the 16^th, dichotomy on the 21^st, and highest altitude in the evening sky on the 22^nd.

Venus can only be seen very low on the south west horizon just after sunset. It is best viewed at the end of the month when it is at its brightest, but will set very soon after the Sun throughout the month.

Mars rises in the eastern sky around 20:30 GMT at the beginning of the month and 19:00 GMT at the end of it. It will then rises higher through the night, across the southern sky and disappears high in the west in the early hours of the morning. Mars will be in conjunction with the Moon on the 20^th.

Jupiter can be seen for most of the night, moving across the southern sky. It rises in the north east around 18:00 GMT at the beginning of the month and 16:00 GMT at the end of it. Jupiter then disappears in the north west at sunrise. It will be in conjunction with the Moon on the 17^th.

Saturn appears in the south eastern sky at sunset and moves across the southern sky during the evening. It sets around 00:00 GMT at the beginning of the month and 22:00 at the end of it. Saturn undergoes lunar occultation on the 11^th, and ends retrograde motion on the 15^th.

Uranus is too faint to be seen with the naked eye. It appears in the north eastern sky at sunset and moves across the southern sky to set in the west around sunrise. Uranus stays close to the Pleiades (M45) this month, and will be at opposition on the 17^th.

Neptune is too faint to be seen with the naked eye. It can be seen in the southern sky, moving from east to west, from sunset until around midnight when it sets. Neptune undergoes lunar occultation on the 12^th.

Meteor Showers

The background rate of meteors on any given night is about 4 per hour.

The Northern Taurids reach their peak on the 12^th. The radiant (apparent origin point of the meteors) will be in the constellation of Taurus. Meteors will be visible all night, as Taurus stays above the horizon all night. Best displays are likely to be around 00:00 GMT when Taurus is at its highest in the sky. You will be able to see up to 4 meteors per hour, with significant interference from the Moon.

The Leonids reach their peak on the 17^th. The radiant (apparent origin point of the meteors) will be in the constellation of Leo. Meteors will be visible between 22:17 GMT and dawn at 06:43 GMT, while Leo is in the sky. Best displays are likely to be just before dawn, as the radiant is highest around 06:00 GMT. You will be able to see up to 13 meteors per hour, with significant interference from the Moon.

Moon

Full Moon: 15^th

Last Quarter: 23^rd

New Moon: 1^st

First Quarter: 9^th

The Moon reaches apogee, its furthest point from the Earth on the 26^th and the and perigee, its closest point, on the 14^th. This effect is not visually apparent.

The Moon will be at aphelion, its furthest point from the Sun, on the 14^th and perihelion, its closest point, on the 3^rd. This effect is not visually apparent.

The Moon will have a close approach with the Pleiades (M45) on the 16^th.

Points of Interest

Asteroid 11 Parthenope reaches opposition on the 13^th. It lies in the constellation of Taurus and reaches its highest point around midnight. It is visible between 19:19 and 04:26 GMT.

The Pleiades (M45) are well placed on the 17^th in the constellation of Taurus. It reaches its highest point around midnight, culminating 4 minutes earlier each day after. It is visible between 17:22 and 06:25 GMT. The Pleiades are visible to the naked eye, but better seen with binoculars.

The Hyades cluster is well placed on the 27^th in the constellation of Taurus. It reaches its highest point around midnight, culminating 4 minutes earlier each day after. It is visible between 18:00 and 06:06 GMT. The Hyades are visible with the naked eye, but better seen with binoculars.

Comet 333P/LINEAR will be at perihelion on the 29^th. It can be seen between 20:44 and 06:12 GMT in the constellation of Canes Venatici. You will need a large telescope to see it.

Visit Spot the Station to find out when the ISS will be visible from your location.

Last updated: 11^th November 2024.