THE SOLAR SYSTEM IN NOVEMBER 2020
Dates and times shown are NZDT (UT + 13 hours). Rise and Set times are for Wellington. They will vary by a few minutes elsewhere in NZ. Data is adapted from that shown by GUIDE 9.1.
THE SUN and PLANETS in November 2020, Rise & Set Mag. & Cons.
NOV 1 NZDT NOV 30 NZDT
Mag Cons Rise Set Mag Cons Rise Set
SUN -26.7 Lib 6.05am 8.04pm -26.7 Oph 5.40am 8.39pm
Merc -0.0 Vir 5.37am 6.48pm 1.8 Lib 5.08am 7.44pm
Venus -4.1 Vir 4.58am 5.07pm -4.0 Lib 4.23am 6.14pm
Mars -2.5 Psc 5.51pm 5.26am -2.2 Psc 4.03pm 3.25am
Jup -2.4 Sgr 10.39am 1.37am -2.2 Sgr 9.09am 12.00m/nt
Sat 0.5 Sgr 11.05am 1.54am 0.6 Sgr 9.21am 12.08am
Uran 5.7 Ari 7.47pm 6.17am 5.7 Ari 5.47pm 4.18am
Nep 7.8 Aqr 3.31pm 4.19am 7.8 Aqr 1.36pm 2.24am
Pluto 14.5 Sgr 10.44am 1.46am 14.5 Sgr 8.53am 11.54pm
November 1 NZDT November 30 NZDT
Twilights morning evening morning evening
Civil: start 5.38am, end 8.32pm start 5.10am, end 9.10pm
Nautical: start 5.01am, end 9.08pm start 4.29am, end 9.51pm
Astro: start 4.22am, end 9.48pm start 3.41am, end 10.39pm
Nov PHASES OF THE MOON, times NZDT & UT
Full Moon: Nov 1 at 3.49am (Oct 31, 14:49 UT)
Last quarter: Nov 9 at 2.46am (Nov 08, 13:46 UT)
New Moon: Nov 15 at 6.07pm (05:07 UT)
First quarter: Nov 22 at 5.45pm (04:45 UT)
Full Moon: Nov 30 at 10.30pm (09:30 UT)
A partial penumbral eclipses of the moon occurs during the last evening of November. The eclipse is at maximum about 11pm with some 83% of the moon's diameter in the penumbra. Little light change will be evident. The moon will be low as seen from New Zealand.
THE PLANETS in NOVEMBER 2020
MERCURY is a morning object but rises only a little over 30 minutes before the Sun all month. As a result it will not be observable during November.
VENUS is also in the morning sky, rising a little over an hour before the Sun. This will make it briefly visible as a very low object in the dawn sky. Mid month Venus will be about 7° up, 30 minutes before sunrise, with the Sun only 6° below the horizon.
MARS rises a few hours before sunset so is well placed in the evening sky. It equals Jupiter in brightness all month, but will, of course, be a very different colour.
JUPITER and SATURN get closer together during November, Starting the month 5° apart, they are less half this by the 30th. They are also beginning to set earlier, with Jupiter setting at midnight on the 30th, Saturn 8 minutes later.
The moon is a little over 1.5° from Jupiter and 4° from Saturn as seen from NZ late evening on November 19.
PLUTO is overtaken by Jupiter during November. The two are closest November 12/13 when they will be about 42 arc-minutes apart, a little more than the full moon's diameter.
URANUS is at opposition on the first morning of November. At the same time the full moon is just over 2° from the planet. Being at opposition, Uranus will rise near the time of sunset and setting close to sunrise.
NEPTUNE rises during the afternoon so is well up by the time the sky darkens. Its encounter with the moon is on the 27th, the two are closest at about 10 pm. The moon, three days short of full, will then be about 3.5° from the planet.
POSSIBLE BINOCULAR ASTEROIDS in November
Nov 1 NZDT Nov 30 NZDT
Mag Cons transit Mag Cons transit
(1) Ceres 8.7 Aqr 9.01pm 9.0 Aqr 7.21pm
(4) Vesta 8.2 Leo 9 02am 7.8 Leo 7.46am
(8) Flora 8.0 Cet 1.18am 8.6 Cet 11.02pm
CERES is in the evening sky. In Aquarius, it sets just after 4.30 am on the 1st and 2.40 am on the 30th.
VESTA is a morning object rising at 3.45 am on the 1st and 2.19 am on the 30th.
FLORA is at opposition November 3/4 when 1° from the 3.5 magnitude star gamma Ceti. Flora is then at its brightest for the apparition at 8.0, making it the brightest asteroid for a few nights. At opposition it rises near 7 pm and sets near 7 am. For the rest of the month it moves towards Pisces.
Brian Loader
