Well, it’s certainly getting colder out. The cool air should bring clearer skies, right? There’s another “super moon,” some meteor showers, and some good views of some gas giants.
On Sunday, November 2, Daylight Savings Time ends, so remember to “fall” back an hour. Also early in the month, Saturn, “father time,” will have great visibility. Catch it south-east, near the moon.
Speaking of, November 5 sees our second “super moon” of the year. This full moon is called the “Beaver Moon.” This is due to this being an active time for the little mammals as they prepare for winter. It would also be the most popular time to hunt them for their pelts. Thankfully, it’s a less common practice and the mighty Eurasian beaver was saved from near-extinction in the early 20th century. Where was I? Oh, November’s full moon is also referred to as the “Frost Moon,” “Freezing Moon,” or “Mourning Moon.”
A minor meteor shower, the Taurids Meteor Shower, peaks between November 4 and November 5. The brightness of the super moon will make it difficult, as will the 5-to-10 meteors-per-hour. Look for them in the sky near the constellation Taurus. The meteors are runoff of two separate bodies, asteroid 2004 TG10 and comet 2P Encke.
Jupiter will have great visibility this month. Look for it in the east just above the horizon in the evening.
Another shower later in the month, the Leonids Meteor Shower, will have slightly better yields at 15 meteors-per-hour. It also happens to peak on November 17 a few days before the New Moon on November 20. This will allow for darker skies and the ability to see more. The meteors are caused by the tail of the comet Tempel-Tuttle.
Finally, the Alpha Monocerotids meteor shower peaks on November 21. It has varying meteor rates and is difficult to predict. Typically low, it could have an extremely intense burst lasting around an hour. Emphasis on “could.” The meteors are produced by a currently unknown celestial body and can be seen around the constellation Monoceros.
Astronomy Update for November
By Sam Bishop