Watch the November Sky: Your Guide by Dates to the Most Important Astronomical Phenomena Expected Throughout the Month

Arab Weather - Astronomy enthusiasts are looking forward to many amazing astronomical phenomena in November that can be seen with the naked eye. These phenomena vary between planetary conjunctions, meteor showers, and rare phenomena that occur in the sky, as revealed by Dr. Ashraf Tadros, Professor of Astronomy at the National Institute for Astronomical Research. The most prominent of these phenomena are as follows:

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• November 10: Mercury conjunction with Antares

On November 10, Mercury, the closest planet to the Sun, will appear in conjunction with the star Antares in the heart of the constellation Scorpio. The conjunction will be visible to the naked eye just after sunset that day, and will continue until Mercury sets at about 6:00 p.m. Antares is a red giant star, estimated to be about 10 times the mass of the Sun, and is located about 600 light-years from Earth.

• November 10-11: Moon Conjunction with Saturn

On November 10 and 11, the Moon appears in conjunction with Saturn, the pearl of the solar system. On November 10, the conjunction is even closer, with the Moon and Saturn appearing side by side in the sky just after sunset, and remaining visible until midnight. This is also the case on November 11, but with a slight difference in distance between them.

• November 14: Moon at Perigee

On November 14, the Moon will be at perigee, the region where the Moon is at its smallest distance from Earth, about 360,100 km. It is worth noting that the perigee varies from month to month, and a supermoon only occurs when the Moon is less than 360,000 km away from Earth. On this day, the tides increase significantly due to the extreme proximity between the Moon and Earth.

• November 15: Full Moon (Jumada al-Awwal)

On November 15, the Moon becomes a full moon. The Moon rises just after sunset on this day and stays in the sky all night until it sets with the sun the next morning. Although a full moon is not visible to the naked eye, the Moon will appear to be full from November 14 to 17. This full moon is known to some Native American tribes as the “Beaver Moon,” as beaver traps are set before rivers freeze. It is also called the “Freeze Moon” and the “Dark Moon.” This is a great time to observe the lunar terrain, craters, and meteor craters with small telescopes.

• November 16: Moon Conjunction with the Pleiades

On November 16, the Moon will appear in conjunction with the Pleiades (or Seven Sisters) star cluster, one of the most famous open star clusters in the northern sky. This conjunction will be visible to the naked eye throughout the night, until the view is obscured by the intense morning twilight of sunrise. The Pleiades is about 440 light-years from Earth and consists of hundreds of stars, but the brightest are the seven that can be seen with the naked eye.

• November 16: Maximum Eastern Elongation of Mercury

On November 16, Mercury reaches its greatest eastern elongation from the Sun, at 22.5 degrees. This is the best time to observe and photograph Mercury, as it will be at its highest point above the western horizon just after sunset. At this point, Mercury will be visible for the longest time before setting at 6:10 p.m.

• November 17: Uranus in opposition to the Sun

On November 17, Uranus is at its closest point to Earth in its orbit around the Sun. In this position, its face is completely illuminated by the Sun, making it visible all night long and brighter than at any other time of the year. This is the best time to observe and photograph Uranus, but it is impossible to see with the naked eye, requiring a medium-sized telescope. Uranus appears as a dot in all but the largest telescopes.

• November 17-18: Leonids meteor shower

The Leonids meteor shower runs from November 6 to 30, peaking on the night of November 17 and dawning on November 18. The best time to view them is after midnight in dark areas away from city lights, as the meteors appear to come from the constellation Leo, hence their name. Although the meteor shower is estimated to produce around 15 meteors per hour, the shower is known to experience a cyclonic peak every 33 years, such as in 2001, when hundreds of meteors per hour can be seen.

• November 19: Moon Conjunction with Pollux

On November 19, the Moon rises at about 8:35 p.m. in conjunction with the star Pollux in Gemini (the Twins). This conjunction will be visible in the sky all night long, and will last until the view disappears into the morning twilight as the Sun rises the next day.

• November 20: Moon Conjunction with Mars and Beehive Horde

On November 20, the Moon will rise at around 9:30 p.m. in conjunction with Mars (known as the Red Planet). At the same time, the Moon will also appear in conjunction with the Beehive star cluster in Cancer. The Beehive star cluster is difficult to see with the naked eye, so a small telescope is recommended to see it clearly. This star cluster is located about 580 light-years from Earth.

• November 22: Moon Conjunction with Regulus

On November 22, the Moon rises at approximately 11:30 p.m. in conjunction with the star Regulus (Lion's Heart) in Leo. Regulus is the brightest star in this constellation and one of the brightest stars in the night sky. This conjunction will be visible to the naked eye all night long until the view is obscured by the intense morning twilight of sunrise.

• November 23: Second Quarter Moon

On November 23, the Moon is in its second quarter phase, appearing in the sky after midnight. It is estimated to be about 50% brighter, and remains in the sky until it sets around 12 noon, when the Sun is at midday.

• November 26: Moon at Apogee

On November 26, the Moon is at apogee, the region where the distance between the Moon and Earth is the greatest, about 405,300 km. As a result of the Moon being in this region, the tides are noticeably reduced.

• November 27: Moon Conjunction with Spica

On November 27, the Moon will appear as a thin crescent in conjunction with Spica, the brightest star in Virgo. This will be visible at 3:30 a.m. and will continue until it disappears into the morning twilight of sunrise.

These astronomical phenomena are a great opportunity for astronomy enthusiasts to enjoy watching them and discover the secrets of the sky.

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Sources:

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