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November 2006 Astronomical Calendar

Dave Mitsky

Note: All times in UTC (EST + 5)

Due to gravitational perturbations caused by Jupiter, the Leonid meteor stream unfortunately won't produce another meteor storm until the 22nd century. However, a short outburst of perhaps 100 or more meteors per hour may occur in Europe and Africa this year. Although the radiant is rather poorly placed at the predicted peak time of 11:45 p.m. EST on November 18, observers on the East Coast may still be able to catch some of the enhanced activity that may result from the Earth crossing through a debris trail left behind by Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle's 1932 passage.

The Moon reaches its greatest northern declination (+29 degrees) for the month on November 8 at its greatest southern declination (-28 degrees) for the month on November 23. Times and dates for the lunar light rays predicted to occur this month are available at http://www.lunar-occultations.com/rlo/rays/rays.htm

The planets on November 1: Mercury (1.2 magnitude, 9.1", 19% illuminated, Libra), Venus (-3.9 magnitude, 9.7", 100% illuminated, Scorpius), Mars (1.6 magnitude, 3.6", 100% illuminated, Libra), Jupiter (-1.7 magnitude, 31.1", 100% illuminated, Libra), Saturn (0.5 magnitude, 17.6", 100% illuminated, Leo), Uranus (5.8 magnitude, 3.5", 100% illuminated, Aquarius), Neptune (7.9 magnitude, 2.2", 100% illuminated, Capricornus), and Pluto (14.0 magnitude, 0.1", 100% illuminated, Serpens Cauda).

November is an exciting time to view Mercury, since the planet undergoes its best morning apparition of the year during the latter part of the month and a rare transit of the Sun, one of only 13 to 14 per century, on November 8. Mercury will subtend 10 arc seconds at the time and will therefore be only one-sixth the size that Venus was during its historic transit in 2004. First contact occurs at 2:12 p.m. EST. The transit has a duration of almost five hours but the Sun sets for observers in the eastern United States soon after the 4:41 p.m. EST transit mid-point.

Venus is still too close to the Sun for easy visual observation this month.

With optical aid, it may be possible to see a rather dim Mars (magnitude 1.6) very low in the east-southeast shortly before sunrise at the end of November.

Jupiter is lost in the Sun's glare during November.

Since Saturn reaches a position 90 degrees west of the Sun this month, its shadow falls directly on the planet's rings. The ringed planet rises in the east-northeast around 11:00 p.m. EST. Titan (magnitude 8.4) lies to the north of Saturn on the mornings of November 1 and November 17 and to its south on the mornings of November 9 and November 25.

During November, Uranus is positioned less than one degree southwest of Lambda Aquarii (magnitude 3.7).

Neptune still lies half-way between Iota (magnitude 4.3) and 29 Capricorni (magnitude 5.3). Neptune's brightest satellite, Triton (magnitude 13.6), can be seen through a 10-inch telescope during a favorable elongation (see page 59 of the October issue of Sky & Telescope).

As night falls this month, Pluto is too close to the western horizon to observe.

Asteroid 7 Iris (magnitude 6.8) comes to a particularly favorable opposition on November 14. It is closer to the Earth than it has been for decades and won't be this bright again for another eleven years. The asteroid glides to the west of M45 (the Pleiades) during the course of the month.

During November, comet C/2006 M4 (SWAN) glides eastward through Hercules. By Thanksgiving, it will be close to the first magnitude star Altair in Aquila. This comet has a hyperbolic trajectory and will eventually escape our solar system. A finder chart appears at http://www.skyhound.com/sh/skyhound.html and on page 60 of the November issue of Sky & Telescope.

The periodic comet 4P/Faye tracks through Cetus to the east of Alpha Piscium. The ninth magnitude comet passes in front of bright field stars on the nights of November 11 and November 22. A short tail pointing to the northeast may be visible through a telescope from a sufficiently dark site. Browse http://www.skyhound.com/sh/skyhound.html for a finder chart.

Binary and Multiple Stars for November

Otto Struve 514, Alpha Andromedae (Alpheratz), Struve 3, h1947, Struve 19, Struve 24, 26 Andromedae, Struve 40, Pi Andromedae, Delta Andromedae, Struve 47, Eta Andromedae, Struve 79, Beta Andromedae (Mirach), Struve 108, Struve 179, South 404 (Andromeda); 1 Arietis, Struve 178, Gamma Arietis, Lambda Arietis (Mesarthim) (Aries); Struve 3053, Struve 3057, Struve 16, Struve 30, Otto Struve 16, Alpha Cassiopeiae (Schedar), Struve 59, Eta Cassiopeiae, Burnham 1, Struve 70, Otto Struve 23, h1088, Struve 163, Struve 170, Struve 182 (Cassiopeia); 34 Piscium, Struve 8, 35 Piscium, Struve 15, 38 Piscium, 42 Piscium, 49 Piscium, 51 Piscium, 55 Piscium, 65 Piscium, Psi Piscium, Otto Struve 22, Struve 98, Otto Struve 26, Phi Piscium, Zeta Piscium, h636, Otto Struve 30, Struve 122, Struve 132, Otto Struve 31, 100 Piscium, Struve 145, 107 Piscium, h644 (Pisces); h5440, Kappa-1 Sculptoris, h1949, h3442, h3379, Tau Sculptoris, Epsilon Sculptoris (Sculptor); Struve 143, Struve 183 (Triangulum)

Challenge binary star for November: 36 Andromedae

Challenge deep-sky object for November: IC 59 (Cassiopeia) [info]