 The
waxing crescent Moon points the way to low Venus and even lower
Mercury. (The visibility of the fainter objects in bright twilight is
exaggerated. These scenes are drawn for the middle of North America.
European observers: move each Moon symbol a quarter of the way toward
the one for the previous date.)
Friday, Oct. 28 In bright twilight, look for the
thin crescent Moon very low in the southwest. Can you spot Venus to its
lower right, as shown here? They're separated by roughly a fist-width at
arm's length (depending on your longitude). Use binoculars to try for
much fainter Antares and Mercury. Jupiter is at
opposition tonight, opposite the Sun as seen from Earth. This an
unusually close opposition of Jupiter, one of the closest in its 12-year
cycle.
Saturday, Oct. 29 The crescent Moon is
higher and easier to spot now after sunset. Its round side points to the
lower right, toward very low Venus and Mercury.
Sunday, Oct. 30 Comet Garradd continues
glowing at 6th magnitude just as predicted. Find it with binoculars or a
telescope near the head of Hercules in the western sky right dark,
using our finder chart online or in the November Sky & Telescope, page 52.
If you're in the Eastern time zone, you'll find Algol at its minimum
brightness at nightfall. Farther west, Algol will already be
rebrightening when the sky gets dark.
Monday, Oct. 31 Halloween evening finds the
crescent Moon lowering in the southwest and bright Jupiter rising
higher in the east. Perfect for setting up your telescope in the
driveway and giving looks to visiting trick-or-treaters! In this way are
new astronomers sometimes made.
Tuesday, Nov. 1 Face west after dark and
look very high for Vega, the brightest star there. Even higher above it,
near the zenith, is Deneb. Farther to Vega's left or lower left shines
Altair. These three stars form the increasingly misnamed Summer
Triangle.
Wednesday, Nov. 2 First-quarter Moon (exact
at 12:38 p.m.). The half-lit Moon stands high in the south at sunset.
As the stars come out, the Moon reveals itself to be above the dim
star-pattern of Capricornus.
Thursday, Nov. 3 Look lower left of the Moon this evening, by two or three fist-widths at arm's length, for Fomalhaut, the Autumn Star.
Friday, Nov. 4 Jupiter's moon Io casts its
tiny black shadow onto Jupiter from 8:07 to to 10:17 p.m. Pacific
Daylight Time. Jupiter's Great Red Spot should cross the planet's
central meridian during this time, around 9:45 p.m. Pacific Daylight
Time.
For timetables of all of Jupiter's Red Spot transits and satellite events this month, good worldwide, see the November Sky & Telescope, page 54.
Saturday, Nov. 5 Look upper left of the Moon this evening for the Great Square of Pegasus, tipped up on one corner. Daylight-saving time ends (for most of North America) at 2 a.m. Sunday morning. Clocks "fall back" an hour.
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