TYPE: CONJUNCTIONVIEW:NAKED EYEDATE:THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28
TIME: DUSKMarscorvuSSESpicahydravirgoMercury
libraboÖteS arcturusJupiter5° binocular
ield of viewVenusnovember 24, 2019DATE:THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28
TYPE: GREATEST ELONGATIONTIME: DAWNNOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 •SKYNEWS 25VIEW:NAKED EYEA SECOND LOOK AT MERCURY
after its solar sojourn, mercury emerges at dawn to put on its best showing
of the year. the innermost planet has its greatest elongation on the morning
of november 28, when it shines brightly at magnitude –0.6 and stands
roughly 15 degrees above the horizon 45 minutes before sunrise. that’s
about as good as it gets for mercury, so if you’ve never spotted it previously,
now’s your chance. the planet is lower yet still relatively easy to spot a week
or so on either side of greatest elongation.
during the transit on november 11, mercury was at “new” phase. if you
follow it telescopically throughout its dawn apparition, you can watch it
transform from a crescent to a waxing gibbous phase in just two weeks.CHARTS BY GLENN LEDREW
TYPE: CONJUNCTION
VIEW:BINOCULARSBRIGHT PLANETS MEET
after offering fine telescopic views for many months, jupiter is
now descending into the southwest, bringing to a close its 2019
apparition. at the same time, venus is rising higher to claim its
place as the evening “star.” the two planets meet at dusk over a
period of several nights but are at their closest on november 23
and 24. venus, at magnitude –3.9, gleams 1½ degrees below
and to the left of jupiter (magnitude –1.8). the pair will be very
low in the sky, hovering at an altitude of roughly five degrees,
45 minutes after sunset. you’ll need a relatively unobstructed
southwest horizon to catch this conjunction.
DATE:NOVEMBER 23/24
TIME: DUSK
SOLAR SYSTEM TRIO AT DUSK
by november 28, venus has moved well past jupiter to sit roughly five degrees
above and to the left of the descending gas giant. the added attraction at
dusk on this date is a two-day-old crescent moon, positioned just 1½degrees
above venus. the slender moon and two planets are close enough to fit in
the field of view of most 7×binoculars. again, the gathering is low in the
twilight sky and easily affected by low clouds and haze. if you can see them
clearly, a telephoto lens will allow you to photograph the conjunction and
include a scenic horizon in the shot.moon (nov 28)SWSagittariuS VenusSaturnJupitermoon (nov.29)EXPLORING THE NIGHT SKY