Title: November Skywatch Highlights
Location: Hawaiian Islands
Date / Time: November 2007
Comments: Throughout November, watch for MARS to nearly double in brightness, as Earth's orbital motion catches up to the orbit of Red Planet. Mars appears brighter during these next 3 months than at any time in the past 2 years, with its upcoming opposition in December. Mars rises at 10PM in early November, & by 8PM at the end of the month, in the constellation Gemini, the Twins. SATURN rises around 2:30AM on Nov.1st, & just before midnight by the end of the month. Look for Saturn just east of the Regulus, the brightest star & "heart" of Leo, the Lion. Saturn will appear brighter than any of the surrounding stars & therefore should be fairly easy to spot. In early November, luminous VENUS, rises in the east around 3:30 AM, 3 hours before the Sun. Hard to miss the brilliant planet, which is often mistaken for a UFO! Venus is viewable in the eastern sky through sunrise. MERCURY, puts on its best predawn show of year, rising in the east just before sunrise, at around 5:30AM. November 3-8, look for the tiny yellow planet next to & OUTSHINING Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo. Morning skywatch treat: On November 7th, in the pre-dawn eastern sky,(approx. 5:40 AM), look for a sliver of crescent Moon just south of Mercury & Spica. At the same time, you'll be able to view Venus, as well as Saturn in Leo & Mars in Gemini, AND Arcturus (Hokule'a) to the north of the ecliptic. JUPITER will soon be be leaving our evening skies, setting by 8:30PM early in November & before 7PM by the end of the month. Just below/south of Jupiter is Antares, the red supergiant star star which is the heart of Scorpius, the Scorpion. Notice that as Scorpius is setting in the west, Orion, the great Hunter, is rising in the east. For further details and a November sky map, visit Bishop Museum Planetarium www.bishopmuseum.org/planetarium(bishopmuseum.org).

Maintained by Roz Reiner - Kauai, Hawaii

 

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