Brief but potent meteor outburst expected November 21-22
Exciting news! Some lucky observers may catch a brief outburst of alpha Monocerotid meteors this Thursday night (or Friday morning). And we do mean brief. Peak activity – a rate of 400 meteors per hour – is expected to last 15 to 40 minutes.
All you need to know: 2019âs Leonid meteor shower
Here are all the details you need for 2019’s Leonid meteor shower, peaking on the morning of November 18, though under the light of a waning gibbous moon.
All you need to know: The famous Orion Nebula
The Orion Nebula is a place where new stars are being born. It can be glimpsed with the eye alone … and is even more noticeable with binoculars. How to find it in your sky tonight. Plus … the science of this star factory in space.
See it! Mondayâs transit of Mercury
Click here for awesome photos from members of the EarthSky community of the November 11, 2019, transit of Mercury. It’ll be the last Mercury transit until 2032. A huge thank you to all who submitted to EarthSky Community Photos!
Full moon subdues North Taurid meteor peak
Full moon comes on November 12, 2019, as the moon is sweeping through the constellation Taurus the Bull. This full moon comes on the peak night of the North Taurid meteor shower.
North Taurid meteors to peak in moonlight
Slow-moving North Taurids don’t exhibit a sharp peak, so meteor rates may remain fairly steady for the next several days. Too bad about the moon!
Pleiades star cluster, aka Seven Sisters
The Pleiades star cluster – aka the Seven Sisters or M45 – is visible from virtually every part of the globe. It looks like a tiny misty dipper of stars.
Yearâs earliest solar noon on November 3
November 3 brings the year’s earliest noon – or midday – by nature’s clock. The earliest solar noon is a harbinger of the year’s earliest sunset in the Northern Hemisphere and earliest sunrise in the Southern Hemisphere. Both take place before the December 22 solstice.
All you need to know: Taurid meteors
Although a modest shower, perhaps offering 5 meteors per hour, the Taurid shower lasts over a month and is known for producing dramatic fireballs.
Algol is the Demon Star
What’s the scariest star in all the heavens? Around Halloween, look for Algol – a star named for a demon! How to see it in your sky.
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