After an adventurous month of witnessing planetary self defence test, stunning details of pillars of creation, partial solar eclipse, discovery of super-emitters among several celestial magics, November’s skies are in for another month of experiencing magical celestial delights. A total lunar eclipse, Leonid meteor shower, view of Uranus, Moon beneath Saturn and many more astronomical events are lined up this month.
America’s space agency NASA has shared the schedule of events and skywatching tips to top this experience
1. For people who are fascinated by meteor showers, November will captivate all their attention. NASA said that annual Leonid meteor showers will be active throughout the month. The phenomenon will peak on November 18 after midnight with an expectation of as many as 15-20 meteors per hour under optimal conditions.
2. With a full moon to be seen on November 8, a total lunar eclipse will be visible in the early morning hours of the day. The eclipse will be visible in North America, the Pacific region, Australia, and Eastern Asia – anywhere the moon is above the horizon during the eclipse.
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3. The lunar eclipse comes with a treat as NASA has said that many stars will glitter the sky as the usually full moon will be dimmed to dull red on that day. But this gets better because viewers with a pair of binoculars can also get a glimpse of the giant ice planet Uranus.
4. On November 11, the Moon will be stationed between Mars and bright bluish-white star Elnath which is the second brightest star in the constellation Taurus. It might be a good time to update your constellation guide maps to brace for this event.
5. NASA also said that on November 20, a crescent moon hanging above bluish star Spica will be visible in the hours before sunrise. The giant star Spica is stunningly 10 times the size of the Sun and 12,000 times more luminous, 260 light years away. A mesmerising crescent moon will also be seen hanging beneath Saturn in the south after sunset on November 28.