Southern Skywatch November 2021 edition is now out!

 Evening sky on Monday, November 8 looking west as seen from Adelaide at 21:27 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset).  Venus is close to the Trifid and Lagoon nebulae and the Crescent Moon.

The insets shows the telescopic view of Venus at this time and the binocular view of Venus and the Trifid nebula. Similar views will be seen throughout Australia at the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).

The November edition of Southern Skywatch is now up. 

This month the planetary action remains mostly in the evening skies, with 3 bright planets visible after the sky is fully dark. Venus blazes in the west not far from the pair of Saturn and Jupiter in the north-west. Mercury is low the morning twilight. Mars returns to the morning sky, but never really gets very high. The Moon does a planet dance with bright Venus, Saturn and Jupiter.  The Leonid meteor Shower is washed out by the bright full Moon. Twilight partial Lunar eclipse.

November 5; New Moon. November 5-9; Venus in binocular range of Trifid and Lagoon Nebula. November 6; perigee Moon. November 7; Crescent moon forms a line with Venus, Saturn and Jupiter. November 8; Venus is close to the crescent Moon. November 9; Moon between Venus and Saturn. November 10; crescent Moon close to Saturn. November 11, First Quarter Moon between Saturn and Jupiter (but closer to Jupiter). November 12; waxing Moon forms a line with Jupiter, Saturn and Venus. November the 13-17, Venus close to globular cluster M22 (binocular or telescope). Morning November 19; Leonid meteor shower peaks. November 19; Full Moon (twilight partial eclipse). November 21; apogee Moon.  November 27; Last Quarter Moon.

 Mercury  is low in the morning twilight this month and never really gets high enough to observe. On the 1st Mercury is just under two finger-widths from the eastern horizon half an hour before sunrise. By the 15th Mercury lost in the twilight in the morning sky. Mercury returns to the evening sky in December, best seen in late December

Venus is easily visible in the evening sky from 30 minutes after sunset (I can see it as early as 5 minutes after sunset) until well after the sky is fully dark. Mercury, Saturn and Jupiter make a nice line in the evening sky in November. At astronomical twilight, we can enjoy the sight the sight of bright Venus in the west and bright Jupiter in the north-west with dimmer Saturn between them. Venus dominates the evening twilight and early evening sky as it passes through the “teapot” of Sagittarius. Venus is a distinct “Half Moon” shape at the beginning of the month and becomes more crescent shaped towards the end of the month. 

From the 5th to the 9th November Venus will be in binocular range to the Trifid and lagoon nebulae. From the 11th to the 16th Venus is in the lid of the teapot. Venus is within binocular range of the bright globular cluster M22 from the 13th the 17th.  On the 8th the crescent Moon is within binocular range of Venus.  On the 9th the crescent Moon is between Venus and Saturn.

Mars Mars returns to the morning sky in November, but is lost in the twilight until late in the month.

Jupiter is readily visible from astronomical twilight and is now lowering into the western evening sky. Jupiter was at opposition, when it was biggest and brightest as seen from Earth, on August 19th, but is still bright and an excellent object in even small telescopes. This month at astronomical twilight, we can enjoy the sight the sight of bright Venus in the west forming a line with Saturn and bright Jupiter in the north-west. Once Venus has set Jupiter dominates the night sky. 

On the 9th the crescent Moon is between Venus and Saturn. On the 10th the waxing moon forms a line with Saturn and Jupiter. On the 11th the first quarter moon is close to Jupiter between Jupiter and Saturn. Then on the 12th the waxing moon again forms a line with Jupiter and Saturn 9and more distantly, Venus). Telescopically Jupiter will be best evening to the early morning when it is highest above the northern horizon.

Saturn can be easily seen from astronomical twilight (an hour and a half after sunset) during November. Saturn was at Opposition, when it was biggest and brightest as seen from Earth, on the 2nd of August. However it will remain great viewing for many weeks to come. 

On the 9th the crescent Moon is between Venus and Saturn. On the 10th the waxing moon forms a line with Saturn and Jupiter. On the 11st the first quarter moon is close to Jupiter between Jupiter and Saturn. Then on the 12th the waxing moon again forms a line with Jupiter and Saturn 9and more distantly, Venus). Telescopically Saturn will be best from astronomical twilight to around 11pm when it is highest above the north-western horizon. At the beginning of the month Saturn should be best for scopes around 9:30 pm local time when the sky is fully dark.

November 6; perigee Moon. November 21; apogee Moon.