Skywatch Line for Monday, and Tuesday, November 18th and 19th, written by Joe Slomka
This is the Skywatch Line for Monday, and Tuesday, November 18th and 19th, written by Joe Slomka.
The Sun sets at 4:29 PM; night falls at 6:08. Dawn begins at 5:14 AM and ends with the Sun rising at 6:53.
Gemini presents the Moon on both nights. Monday finds the 18-day-old Moon setting at 10:19 AM and rises at 6:42 PM, 10° high at 8 PM, 32 arc-seconds in size, 88% illuminated, 71° highest at 2 AM and sets at 11:21 AM. Tuesday’s rises at 7:52 PM, 19° high at 10 PM, same size, 77% lit, 69° southeast high at 3 AM and sets at 11:52 AM. On Tuesday, the Moon lies 2.5° below Pollux in the northeast. One hour before Wednesday’s sunrise, Mars, Moon and Beehive cluster are close together.
Mercury and Venus are very low in the south. Mercury, in Ophiuchus, rises at 8:57 AM, shines with minus zero magnitude, appears 7 arc-seconds, 4° high and sets at 7:27 PM. Venus, in Sagittarius, rises at 10:23 AM, blazes with minus 4th magnitude, 16 arc-seconds, 14° high and sets at 6:55 PM.
Comet C/2023 A3 is visible, but fading. It rises at 8:33 AM, by 5 PM appears 8th magnitude, 89% lit, 42° high in the southwest and sets at 9:09 PM.
By late evening, other planets become visible. Saturn remains the first to rise, in Aquarius, at 1 PM, zero magnitude, 18 arc-seconds, 16° highest at 7 PM, and sets at 1 AM; Neptune is 14° to Saturn’s East in Pisces, 8th magnitude, 2 arc-seconds, rises at 1:50 PM, 29° highest at 7:53 PM and sets at 1:56 AM.
Taurus accommodates Uranus and Jupiter. Uranus rises at 5:30 PM, 6th magnitude, 3 arc-seconds, 70° highest at 11:32 PM and sets at 6:47 AM. Giant Jupiter rises at 7:12 PM, shines with minus 2nd magnitude, a large 47 arc-seconds, 61° high at 1:10 AM and sets at 7:14 AM; Monday, the Great Red Spot (a giant storm) begins travel at 8:38 PM. Mars continues to brighten and appear larger; in Cancer, it shines with minus zero magnitude, 11 arc-seconds, 30° highest at 4:32 AM and sets at 11:54 AM.
Vesta and Ceres are Roman versions of Greek goddesses. Vesta is the goddess of the hearth. Roman homes had hearths for cooking and heat; in fact, the hearth was her shrine. Romans said daily prayers to her in thanksgiving for food and heat. The household fire must never go out. Should the fire be extinguished, a new fire could only be started from another holy hearth or Vesta’s temple fire. At the temple, six Vestal Virgins (unmarried women) tended to the sacred fire day and night. They enjoyed great esteem and were granted important privileges. Vestalia was a religious festival when the Vestal Virgins would clean the temple and relight the flame with a magnifying glass. Special cakes were baked and offered to Vesta.
Clear Skies Joe Slomka