November offers several opportunities for skywatchers, including three meteor showers, a close apparent meeting of Mars and Jupiter, and the first of three consecutive supermoons.
The Southern Taurids are expected to peak around November 5, followed by the Northern Taurids around November 12. Both showers appear to originate from different regions of Taurus and generally produce about five meteors per hour under ideal conditions. Their rates are modest, but the Taurids can occasionally produce bright fireballs.
The Leonids provide another viewing opportunity in the early morning hours of November 17 and 18, after moonset. Under ideal conditions, the shower could produce around 15 meteors per hour, although most observers may see fewer. NASA recommends choosing a dark location, allowing roughly 30 minutes for night vision to develop and viewing as much of the sky as possible.
Before sunrise on November 15 and 16, Mars and Jupiter will appear close together in the southeastern sky. The planets will be separated by about 1.2 degrees, slightly more than the apparent width of two full Moons. Jupiter will be the brighter object, with reddish Mars nearby, and both planets should be visible without optical aid. Their apparent positions will change over several mornings as they draw closer and then move apart.
NASA also highlights a milestone for Voyager 1. On November 17, the spacecraft is expected to become the first human-made object to travel one light-day from Earth. A signal traveling at the speed of light would take 24 hours to reach Voyager 1, with another 24 hours needed for a response to arrive. NASA says the spacecraft can be imagined in the direction of Ophiuchus, and it is inviting the public to take part in a November 17 “Shine Bright for Voyager’s Light-Day” activation.
The month’s full supermoon will occur on November 24. Because the Moon’s orbit is slightly oval, its distance from Earth varies, allowing a full Moon near the closer part of its orbit to appear somewhat larger and brighter than average. This event begins a sequence of three consecutive supermoons in November, December and January.
NASA advises looking east around sunset to see the supermoon rise. Its apparent size may seem greater near the horizon, an effect known as the Moon illusion, which can occur with any full Moon.
Sources: NASA Breaking News.