Skywatch Line for Friday, November 24, through Sunday, November 26, 2023

This is Dudley Observatory’s Skywatch Line for Friday, November 24, through Sunday, November 26, written by Sam Salem.

On Friday, Sun rises at 6:58am and sets at 4:26pm; Moon sets at 3:41am and rises at 2:47pm.

The Moon shines near Jupiter on Friday and Saturday evenings. Full Moon occurs exactly at 4:16am Monday morning. On Sunday evening, the glary Moon is just 1° or 2° from the Pleiades. Jupiter lies nearby, as will star Aldebaran, Eye of the Bull in the constellation of Taurus. If you look closely, you might also find the Pleiades star cluster, aka the 7 Sisters, in the Moon’s glare. The Moon will sweep only about a degree, or 2 full Moons side-by-side, from the Pleiades on Sunday night. Try watching for the Pleiades with binoculars. Start looking in evening twilight when the Moon’s glare is less intense.

The Pleiades star cluster, or Messier 45 (M45), looks like a tiny misty dipper of stars.

Many ancient cultures had myths and stories associated with the Pleiades. In Greek mythology, the Pleiades were the seven daughters of Atlas, a Titan who held up the sky, and the oceanid Pleione, protectress of sailing. The sisters were Maia, Electra, Alcyone, Taygete, Asterope, Celaeno and Merope. The Pleiades were sometimes said to be nymphs in the train of Artemis. They were half-sisters of the seven Hyades. The Hyades pattern is another star cluster, near the Pleiades stars.

Venus, a brilliant magnitude –4.3, shines as the “Morning Star” in the east-southeast before and during dawn. It rises 2 hours before dawn’s first light.

Jupiter, at magnitude –2.8 in the constellation of Aries, dominates the east during early evening and stands highest in the south around 10pm. It sets in the west before dawn begins.

Saturn, at magnitude +0.8 in dim constellation of Aquarius, glows yellowish high in the south at nightfall. It moves lower toward the southwest as evening grows late. Fomalhaut, the brightest star in the southern constellation of Piscis Austrinus, twinkles almost two fists at arm’s length to Saturn’s lower left.

The constellation Andromeda, the Princess, is renowned for the Andromeda Galaxy. Another excellent target in Andromeda, the multiple star system Almach, or Gamma Andromedae, can be viewed with a modest telescope. Almach looks as a single star to the eye. But a small telescope transforms Almach into two colorful suns, one golden and the other blue. And astronomical research has revealed that one component is a triple star system, making the Almach system four stars in all. Through a small telescope, Almach appears as one of the finest double stars in the night sky. One component of this telescopic double appears golden, and the other component appears indigo blue. Some double star enthusiasts believe Almach’s vibrancy of color even surpasses that of the star Albireo in the constellation Cygnus, generally regarded as the sky’s finest double star. In autumn, both Almach and Albireo are there for the viewing.

Almach marks the Princess Andromeda’s left foot. Star-hop to Almach from the Great Square of Pegasus, the signature star formation of Northern Hemisphere autumn.

Two streamers of stars fly outward from the Great Square, starting at the star Alpheratz. These streamers of stars are the constellation Andromeda. Jump three stars over on the lower streamer to locate Almach. Almach shines relatively close to the famous variable star Algol in the constellation Perseus.