Tuesday, November 1
First Quarter Moon happens at 2:37 A.M. EDT. Later within the day, the rising gibbous Moon passes 4° south of Saturn at 5 P.M. EDT. Not lengthy after, the pair cling collectively within the darkening sky amid the celebs of Capricornus. You’ll discover them above the southern horizon after sundown, now almost 5° aside because the Moon sits instantly beneath the ringed planet. The 2 are seen all night, skimming low by the sky.
Saturn’s mushy magnitude 0.6 glow ought to nonetheless be seen with the bare eye; it sits inside 1° of 4th-magnitude Iota (ι) Capricorni, which can be more durable to select towards the background gentle. Any telescope will actually deliver out the planet’s foremost characteristic: its gorgeous rings. Stretching almost 40″ throughout, their northern face continues to be tilted towards Earth. Saturn’s largest and brightest moon, magnitude 8.5 Titan, is simply over 1′ southeast of the planet tonight. A number of smaller, fainter moons, together with Tenth-magnitude Dione, Rhea, and Tethys, cluster nearer to the planet and rings.
Dawn: 7:29 A.M.
Sundown: 5:58 P.M.
Moonrise: 2:54 P.M.
Moonset: —
Moon Section: Waxing gibbous (55%)
Wednesday, November 2
Let’s return to Jupiter in Pisces this morning for a particular sight as the big Galilean moon Callisto skims due north of the planet.
In fact, Callisto — like the opposite Galilean moons — orbits Jupiter. However the tilt of the moon’s orbit relative to Earth means it usually seems to “miss” the planet solely from our perspective because it crosses in entrance of or behind it. Jupiter in Pisces continues to be magnitude –2.8, easy to search out and middle in your telescope. The planet units round 4 A.M. native time, nevertheless, so you’ll have to rise up fairly early (or keep up fairly late on the first) to catch it. Nevertheless it’s price it to see the brilliant dot of Callisto slide from west to east proper excessive of the planet, with loads of obvious space between them! For those who occur to overlook the occasion, don’t fear — it’ll repeat later this month.
The three different Galilean moons are seen as properly: Io sits far to the west, whereas Ganymede and Europa seem to the east.
Dawn: 7:31 A.M.
Sundown: 5:56 P.M.
Moonrise: 3:27 P.M.
Moonset: 12:53 A.M.
Moon Section: Waxing gibbous (66%)
Thursday, November 3
The Moon passes 1° south of asteroid 3 Juno at 4 A.M. EDT. Nonetheless, if you wish to catch the pair, you’ll once more must do it both early or late. They’re at the moment positioned in Aquarius, which units about 2 A.M. native time. So, should you’re up round 1 A.M. this morning, you’ll find the Moon southwest of Juno for a short time earlier than they disappear within the west.
For those who choose to view them within the night sky — the higher possibility for catching them by much less turbulent air — they’re seen as quickly because the sky is darkish after sundown. Now, Aquarius is climbing within the southeast and the Moon sits close to a pleasant curve of three 4th- to Fifth-magnitude stars: Psi1 (ψ1), Psi2 (ψ2), and Psi3 (ψ3) Aquarii. The Moon is closest to Psi3, passing notably close to to this star between about 8 P.M. and 10 P.M. EDT.
Our satellite is now roughly 9° due east of Juno. The principle-belt asteroid glows at magnitude 8.7, inside attain of binoculars or a small scope. See if you’ll find it, even with the Moon’s background gentle. For a more in-depth signpost, Juno is simply 30′ northeast of a comparatively shiny Sixth-magnitude subject star.
Dawn: 7:32 A.M.
Sundown: 5:55 P.M.
Moonrise: 3:55 P.M.
Moonset: 2:06 A.M.
Moon Section: Waxing gibbous (76%)
Friday, November 4
The Moon now passes 3° south of Neptune at 4 A.M. EDT. The 2 are low within the west at the moment, so that you’ll need to observe them just a few hours earlier if potential, earlier than they sink too near the horizon.
Like final evening, each are in Aquarius, although Neptune is kind of close to the constellation’s northeastern border with Pisces. Round 2 A.M. EDT on the 4th (11 P.M. on the third within the Pacific time zone), the planet and Moon are nonetheless 25° excessive. Magnitude 7.7 Neptune, which requires binoculars or a telescope, is simply shy of 5° north-northeast of the Moon. It might be a bit difficult to select the distant planet’s dim, 2″-wide disk, but it surely’s price a attempt. For those who can’t fairly appear to do it, simply give the Moon just a few days to go out of the realm and check out once more. Neptune sits between a pair of Seventh-magnitude subject stars that may function your guides all month.
The Moon passes 2° south of Jupiter at 4 P.M. EDT — we’ll examine this pairing out within the night sky in our column subsequent week.
Dawn: 7:33 A.M.
Sundown: 5:54 P.M.
Moonrise: 4:19 P.M.
Moonset: 3:16 A.M.
Moon Section: Waxing gibbous (85%)
