When the northern hemisphere experiences longer and darker nights, there are plenty of cosmic wonders to look forward to for stargazers. Here are some celestial events lighting up the season, from beautiful star clusters to fast-moving meteor showers and glowing supermoons.
1. The Pleiades (The 7 Sisters)
As autumn evenings become shorter, one of the sky’s most familiar star groups grows ever more conspicuous. The Pleiades, or Seven Sisters, are a group of young stars in the constellation Taurus, about 440 light-years away. They are normally visible to the naked eye as about 6 points, but using binoculars or a telescope will display many more. Look in the eastern sky and you will see them.
2. The Orionid Meteor Storm
The Orionids are a spectacular light show that runs from early October into November and peaks around October 21. Earth passes through the trail of dust left behind by Halley’s Comet. As they burn up in our atmosphere at rapid speed, these small particles leave behind luminous streaks. They seem to come out of the constellation Orion; therefore, the best way to see them is to get away from light pollution and find a dark spot.
3. November Planetary Show
Early risers around November 14 will be treated to a rare multi-planet alignment. Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter will all be in view above the horizon before daybreak. Mercury will be difficult to see because it will be low in the sky, close to the sun’s brightness, but the dazzling Venus and Jupiter, two of the brightest objects in the night sky, will be easy to spot.
4. The Leonid Meteor Shower
The Leonids peak later in the month, around Nov. 17. These are some of the fastest shooting stars seen from Earth, moving through the atmosphere at about 70 kilometers per second. Under dark, bright skies, watchers might expect to see 10 to 15 meteors every hour radiating from the constellation of Leo. The best time to see it is between midnight and morning, when Leo is higher in the sky.
5. Supermoon of the Beaver
November’s full moon will be a supermoon known as the Beaver Moon, so-called because it is when beavers begin preparing their lodges for winter. It will reach its full phase on November 24. As the moon is quite close to the Earth, it will look substantially larger and brighter than it normally does. This supermoon also marks the start of a series of four straight supermoons continuing into early 2027.
Pro Tip: Look up the local weather forecast for clear stars before heading out for some late-night stargazing!
1. The Pleiades (The 7 Sisters)
As autumn evenings become shorter, one of the sky’s most familiar star groups grows ever more conspicuous. The Pleiades, or Seven Sisters, are a group of young stars in the constellation Taurus, about 440 light-years away. They are normally visible to the naked eye as about 6 points, but using binoculars or a telescope will display many more. Look in the eastern sky and you will see them.
2. The Orionid Meteor Storm
The Orionids are a spectacular light show that runs from early October into November and peaks around October 21. Earth passes through the trail of dust left behind by Halley’s Comet. As they burn up in our atmosphere at rapid speed, these small particles leave behind luminous streaks. They seem to come out of the constellation Orion; therefore, the best way to see them is to get away from light pollution and find a dark spot.
3. November Planetary Show
Early risers around November 14 will be treated to a rare multi-planet alignment. Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter will all be in view above the horizon before daybreak. Mercury will be difficult to see because it will be low in the sky, close to the sun’s brightness, but the dazzling Venus and Jupiter, two of the brightest objects in the night sky, will be easy to spot.
4. The Leonid Meteor Shower
The Leonids peak later in the month, around Nov. 17. These are some of the fastest shooting stars seen from Earth, moving through the atmosphere at about 70 kilometers per second. Under dark, bright skies, watchers might expect to see 10 to 15 meteors every hour radiating from the constellation of Leo. The best time to see it is between midnight and morning, when Leo is higher in the sky.
5. Supermoon of the Beaver
November’s full moon will be a supermoon known as the Beaver Moon, so-called because it is when beavers begin preparing their lodges for winter. It will reach its full phase on November 24. As the moon is quite close to the Earth, it will look substantially larger and brighter than it normally does. This supermoon also marks the start of a series of four straight supermoons continuing into early 2027.
Pro Tip: Look up the local weather forecast for clear stars before heading out for some late-night stargazing!
I hope the weather allows me to see the "shooting star" showers, but it's a real shame that the nights are already getting chilly :(
ReplyDeleteSending you my best regards, Melody!!!