Eyes on the Sky Update: November 2024
This month’s Update includes a bonus: Professor Monda’s image of Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas, taken at 7:35 p.m. EDT on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. The photo was taken from Scotia, NY, and has been contrast-enhanced to show the extent of the comet’s long tail.
Friday, Nov. 1 – New Moon occurs at 8:47 a.m. In the folklore of the sky (“skylore”), this is Hallowmas Day, the day following All Hallows’ Eve, a cross-quarter day when one season crosses over to the next as interpreted by the ancient Druids.
Sunday, Nov. 3 – Daylight Savings Time ends at 2 a.m. “Fall back” one hour to standard time, also known as “winter” time.
Monday, Nov. 4 – This evening, a thin, lunar crescent can be found below Venus in the western sky, start looking before 6 p.m. EST.
Saturday, Nov. 9 – First Quarter Moon occurs at 8:47 a.m. against the stars of Capricornus.
Sunday, Nov. 10 – Saturn appears right above the Waxing Gibbous Moon around 9 p.m. Binoculars or a telescope will help tease the Ringed Planet out of the lunar glare. Look to the south-southwest to see this celestial pairing. The moon will eclipse (or in astronomy parlance “occult”) Saturn as seen from some locations in the southeastern United Sates.
Friday, Nov. 15 – Full Moon at 4:28 p.m. The November full moon is known as the Beaver Moon, as well as the Frost Moon or the Freezing Moon. Tonight, the full moon appears near the Pleiades star cluster.
Sunday, Nov. 17 – Watch for the Leonid meteor shower in the hours before dawn. Unfortunately, this year, moon light will interfere with seeing the fainter meteors.
Sunday, Nov. 17 – The Waning Gibbous Moon rises with Jupiter at about 6 p.m. Look toward the northeast. The giant planet is currently between the horns of Taurus.
Friday, Nov. 20 – The Moon, now a day before Last-third Quarter, comes over the east-northeastern horizon around 9 p.m., about 10 minutes after Mars rises there.
Saturday, Nov. 22 – Last-third Quarter Moon occurs at 8:27 p.m. However, the moon will not rise until 11:19 p.m., again in the east-northeast.
Wednesday, Nov. 27 – Bright side of the Waning Lunar Crescent occults the bright star, Spica, at about 5:35 a.m. The pair is somewhat low in the southeastern sky. Use binoculars or, better yet, a telescope to view this celestial event.
Thursday, Nov. 28 – Thin, lunar crescent rises at 4:30 a.m. in the east-southeast on this Thanksgiving morn.
Friday, Nov. 29 – Challenging, uber-thin, lunar crescent rises in the glare of early dawn on this Black Friday. Use binoculars and look to the southeast before 6 a.m.
Editor’s Note: Richard Monda, is an assistant professor of Astronomy and Physics in the Biology, Chemistry and Physics Department and the creator of HVCC Eyes on the Sky, a YouTube video series.