Stargazing This Week

We Missed the Lunar Eclipse
In the Methow last week, both the meteors and the eclipse were stymied by cloud cover. Nevertheless, many folks from outside the Valley captured the partial lunar eclipse with photos, but one live-streaming astrophotographer posted a live video of the event!

As we approach our first round of holidays, the moon will wane from its full self, affording us dark skies once again. If the clouds allow this week, get outside after dark. There’s plenty to see.

In particular, the sky will be plenty dark for Thanksgiving, so make sure to get out both before and after your dinners.

Jupiter, Saturn and Venus... and more
Jupiter, Saturn and Venus are all lined up in the early evening horizon, in that order. Venus is raging right now, which might be a little surprising given that, from our perspective it’s almost a crescent right now. You can see that shadow on its face if you’ve got a telescope.

Whether you have a telescope or binoculars, look to the left of Saturn - the dimmest of the three planets - to find its biggest moon Titan in full display.

The Shadows of the Moons

Speaking of satellites, a special event is happening this week. As reported in Astronomy, two of Jupiter’s moons will simultaneously cast shadows upon the surface of their host planet. To see them, you’ll need a telescope, timing and patience. Check out Sky & Telescope's description for details.

Ceres Exits the Bull
Finally, have you been watching Ceres’ migration across the sky? The dwarf planet / astroid is now moving out from beyond the face of Taurus. With a magnitude near 8, you’ll need some kind of amplification to see it. Try going out there with your binoculars and a notebook to sketch the bright and faint objects you see in Taurus each night this week.