November 2012 Celestial Highlights

Nov. 1: Moon next to Jupiter (occultation in South Africa)

Nov. 4: End of daylight saving time

Nov. 11: Moon close to Venus, in morning sky

Nov. 13: Total eclipse of sun, not visible in Virginia

Nov. 16: Moon close to Mars, low in the southwest 60 minutes after sunset.

Nov. 17: Leonids, no moon visible, after 1 am, maybe 20 per hour. (The numbers seem to be declining over the past few years.)

Nov. 24 — Nov. 29: Brilliant Venus passes Saturn in the morning sky. Venus appears to merge with Saturn on November 26. Best seen at 6 a.m.

October 2012 Celestial Highlights

Celestial Highlights for October:

October 3: 5:30 a.m. in the east, brilliant Venus lies next to the bright star Regulus in Leo.

October 5: after 11 p.m., Moon next to bright Jupiter

October 12: 5:30 a.m. in the east, Crescent Moon near Venus giving a pretty sight.

October 18: 7:30 p.m. in the west, Crescent Moon near Mars and the bright star Antares in Scorpius.

October 21: after 11 p.m. in the east, Orionid Meteor Shower. Up to 25 meteors per hour. No moon interferes this year.

This is the best time of year for stargazing, weatherwise. The softly glowing band of the Milky Way arcs overhead as darkness falls. 

Such is our view from Earth...