PERTH

NIGHT SKY

FOR NOVEMBER 2008

The Planets.

Times quoted are in Western Daylight Saving Time (WDST).

p: previous day, f: following day.

Mercury:

Rises: 0545, Sets: 1829 on the FIRST day of the month;

Rises: 0610, Sets: 2021 on the LAST day of the month.

The planet can be observed, low in the western dusk sky during the latter part of this month.

Venus:

Rises: 0824, Sets: 2242 on the FIRST day of the month;

Rises: 0902, Sets: 2319 on the LAST day of the month.

The planet can be observed, high in the west south-western evening sky during this month.

Mars:

Rises: 0652, Sets: 2029 on the FIRST day of the month;

Rises: 0610, Sets: 2014 on the LAST day of the month.

The planet may be visible low in the western sky only during the early evening this month.

Jupiter:

Rises: 1043, Sets: 0052f on the FIRST day of the month;

Rises: 0913, Sets: 2314 on the LAST day of the month.

Jupiter can be seen until around mid-night during this month. The FOUR GALILEAN MOONS can easily be seen in small telescopes, as can the orange-brown coloured bands in the planet's upper atmosphere. The Great Red Spot can also be seen occasionally, appearing as a pale tan coloured cloud-like object. Viewing these features should not be difficult for amateur astronomers at this time.

Saturn:

Rises: 0408, Sets: 1541 on the FIRST day of the month;

Rises: 0221, Sets: 1358 on the LAST day of the month.

Saturn is visible only briefly from the very early morning during this month. The rings are really quite spectacular, even in small telescopes. However, during the latter part of this year they wil become harder to see as we will be viewing them 'edge-on' by Januray 2009.

Uranus:

Rises: 1538, Sets: 0411f on the FIRST day of the month;

Rises: 1343, Sets: 0216f on the LAST day of the month.

Although visible from early evening, Uranus is not easy to see because of its faintness and closeness to the Sun.

Neptune:

Rises: 1329, Sets: 0251f on the FIRST day of the month;

Rises: 1136, Sets: 0058f on the LAST day of the month.

Visible from early evening and like Uranus, not easy to see because of its faintness.

Pluto:

Due to the re-classification of this 'body' as a 'dwarf' planet, rise/set times are no longer available.

A finder chart is ESSENTIAL to help in identifying the planet.

The Moon.

Lunation 1062

New Moon: Oct 29, 2008 @ 0714,

First Quarter: Nov 6, 2008 @ 1203.

Full Moon: Nov 13, 2008 @ 1417.

Last Quarter: Nov 20, 2008 @ 0531.

New Moon: Nov 28 @ 0054.

Rises: 0802, Sets: 2259 on the FIRST day of the month;

Rises: 0738, Sets: 2230 on the LAST day of the month.

Rising and setting approximately 30-55 minutes later each night.

Constellation of the Month.

Pisces: The Fishes.

The Sun.

Rises: 0619, Sets: 1942 on the FIRST day of the month;

Rises: 0603, Sets: 2007 on the LAST day of the month.

Meteor Showers.

Best observations are from mid-night to dawn, looking eastwards.

Northern Taurids: Sept 25 to Nov 25.

Southern Taurids: Sept 25 to Nov 25.

Leonids: Nov 10 to Nov 23.

alpha-Monocerotids: Nov 15 to Nov 25.

December Phoenicids: Nov 28 to Dec 9.

Monocerotids: Nov 27 to Dec 17.

Comets.

NO bright Comets are currently visible.

Contact us for more information about how to locate comets.

Special Events.

Occultations, Conjunctions and Oppositions

Nov 2: Moon at Apogee.

Nov 2: Neptune Stationary.

Nov 5: Maximum activity of the Southern Taurids Meteor Shower.

Nov 6: First Quarter Moon.

Nov 12: Maximum activity of the Northern Taurids Meteor Shower.

Nov 13: Full Moon.

Nov 14: Moon at Perigee.

Nov 17: Maximum activity of the Leonids Meteor Shower.

Nov 20: Last Quarter Moon.

Nov 21: Maximum activity of the alpha-Monocerotids Meteor Shower.

Nov 26: Mercury in Superior Conjunction with the Sun.

Nov 28: New Moon.

Nov 28: Uranus Stationary.

Nov 30: Moon at Apogee.

The International Space Station(ISS) and

Iridium 'Flare' Satellites.

Visible passes of the ISS and Iridium Satellites can be quite spectacular if you know where to look for them. For details on 'where & when' to look, 'click' back to our 'Home Page' and scroll down to "Astronomical Links'. Scroll down to International Space Station and Satellite Tracking and 'click' on either ISS or Iridium Flare Satellites. Register YOUR NAME AND LOCATION and then each time you 'logon' to this site in future, it will display the predictions for your location. This is a facility provided by the 'Heavens Above' programme.

This information is courtesy of:

The Astronomy Almanac 2008,

published by the Perth Observatory.

Unusual Sightings

We at the Observatory are always interested to hear about any unusual objects or sightings that you may be aware of so please give us a call or send us an email so that we can follow these up.

All times quoted are Western Daylight Saving Time.

For further information, please contact:

Pingelly Heights Observatory

on

(08) 9887 0088.

e-mail: astroventures@westnet.com.au

web-site: www.myweb.westnet.com.au/astroventures