Welcome to the inaugural edition of Paul’s Notes, the newsletter of Computer Looking Up (previously Paul Stephen’s Journal). Here I recap recent activity on the Journal along with any other pertinent going-ons.
In the Sky, November 2021
The next Full Moon will be on November 19th. So here on November 7th, there is plenty of time early in the month to see the Waxing Crescent phase as the Moon gradually illuminates nightly, until it reaches the Quarter phase (half illuminated), followed by the Waxing Gibbous phase when the Moon’s brightness finally pushes towards Full.
Also notable in the sky after Dusk are Venus and Jupiter. For most in the Northern Hemisphere, you can seen dazzling Venus, the third-brightest object in the sky after the Sun and Moon, in the Southwest. Jupiter will be in the Southeast sky. Both should be obvious about 30 minutes after Sunset. Wait a little longer after dark and you should also see Saturn to the West of Jupiter.
The next oppositions of Jupiter and Saturn are a ways off, in August and September 2022, respectively. Opposition is when the Sun, Earth, and a planet all align, in that order, and will display the planet at its brightest as seen from our vantage on Earth.
In the mornings, you may be able to see Mars and possibly Mercury in the East before Sunrise, though both right now are very close to the Sun, so you will need a very clear sky and unimpeded view of your East horizon.
Mars’s next opposition is 13 months away, December 2022.
As far as the stars and constellations, look for Orion fully in view in the East close to midnight.
See my In the Sky page for my upcoming astronomy trackers.
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