The Hanoi Astronomy Club (HAS) has announced that November will feature several fascinating astronomical phenomena worth observing, including a new moon, a supermoon, two meteor showers, and the planet Uranus reaching opposition.
Here are the interesting astronomical events happening in November:
November 1 – New Moon
The moon will be positioned on the same side of Earth as the sun, making it invisible in the night sky. This phase occurs at 19:49 (Vietnam time). This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects like galaxies and star clusters, as they will not be affected by moonlight.
November 4-5 – Taurid Meteor Shower
November will have two consecutive meteor showers lighting up the night sky.
The Taurids are a minor meteor shower, producing about 5-10 meteors per hour. It is unique because it consists of two separate showers. The first is created by dust particles left behind by the asteroid 2004 TG10. The second is caused by debris from the comet 2P Encke. This meteor shower occurs annually from September 7 to December 10, and it peaks this year on the night of November 4. The crescent moon at the beginning of the month will obscure all but the brightest meteors this year. However, if you are patient, you may still catch a few good meteors.
The best observation time will be just after midnight from a dark location away from city lights. The meteors will radiate from the constellation Taurus but can appear anywhere in the sky.
November 15 – Full Moon, Supermoon
The moon will be positioned directly opposite Earth from the sun, fully illuminating its surface. This phase occurs at 04:30 (Vietnam time). This full moon is known by Native American tribes as the Beaver Moon, as it is the time of year to set beaver traps before swamps and rivers freeze. It is also referred to as the Frosty Moon and the Dark Moon. This is one of the last three supermoons of 2024. The moon will be at its closest point to Earth and may appear slightly larger and brighter than usual.
November 17: Uranus Reaches Opposition
This is a fantastic time to observe this planet. Although theoretically visible to the naked eye, it will only appear as a small, faint dot even in ideal viewing conditions. Therefore, similar to Neptune, this event will be particularly noteworthy for observers using telescopes.
November 17-18: Leonid Meteor Shower
This meteor shower occurs around the constellation Leo. In 2024, the Leonids will still be a medium-strength meteor shower, with about 30 meteors per hour at peak. The moon will significantly hinder the observation of this phenomenon. In clear skies, you will still be able to see some meteors. They can appear from any direction in the sky but will be most concentrated in the area of the constellation Leo.
The display will begin on the morning of Sunday, November 18, as Earth passes through a debris cloud left by Comet Tempel-Tuttle from 1766. Thousands of meteors per hour will fall over North America and Hawaii. Then, on the morning of November 19 (local time in Asia), this will occur again: Earth will enter a second debris cloud from Tempel-Tuttle. Thousands of additional Leonid meteors will then fall over East Asian countries and Australia.
