Skywatch Line for Monday, and Tuesday, November 25th and 26th, written by Joe Slomka

This is the Skywatch Line for Monday, and Tuesday, November 25th and 26th, written by Joe Slomka.

The Sun sets at 4:25 PM; night falls at 6:05. Dawn begins at 5:21 AM and ends with the Sun rising at 7:01.

Virgo presents the Moon on both days. Monday’s 24-day-waning Moon rises at 1:23 AM; by 7 AM, it is 46°high in the South, 29 arc-seconds in size, 27% illuminated and sets at 1:43 PM. Tuesday’s rises at 2:24 AM, same size, 19% lit, 38°high in the Southeast and sets at 2 PM. You can see the Moon during daytime by naked eyes and through binoculars or telescopes. At 6 AM Wednesday, the 13% Moon begins eclipsing the star Spica (in Virgo) and ends at 7 AM.

Venus, in Sagittarius, is very low and sets early; it is 42°from the Sun, blazes with minus 4th magnitude, appears 17 arc-seconds and sets at 7:10 PM.

By 10 PM, Saturn is easy to locate in Aquarius, rising at 1:34 PM, zero magnitude, 17 arc-seconds, highest at 6:33 PM and sets at 12:07 AM. Neptune, 14°away from Saturn, rises at 1:31 PM, shines with 7th magnitude, 2 arc-seconds, 33°highest at 7:34 and sets at 1:22 AM.

Taurus is shared by Uranus and Jupiter. Southeastern Uranus rises at 3:47 PM, 5th magnitude, 3 arc-seconds, 66°highest at 11:03 PM and sets at 6:22 AM. Gas Giant Jupiter glimmers with minus 2nd magnitude, a large 47 arc-seconds, rises at 5:09 PM, 69°highest at 12:44 AM and sets at 8:14 AM. Monday, the Great Red Spot (a giant storm) is visible at 9:24 PM; Wednesday, the Jovian moon Europa begins its trek at 12:24 AM and ends at 3:31 AM; the Great Red Spot also appears at 3:11 AM on Wednesday.

Mars, in Cancer, becomes ever more apparent, rising at 9:03 PM, shines with zero magnitude, 11 arc-seconds, 13°highest at 4:08 AM and sets at 11:35 AM.

Since the Leonid shower happened last week, let us consider the constellation which produced this shower. Leo is one of the earliest constellations identified by Mesopotamians. Its shape resembles a crouching lion. In Greek and Roman myths, the lion refers to the Nemean Lion. It abducted maidens, and hid them in caves; men would race to save the ladies, and become the lion’s meal. Hercules realized that the Lion was immune to weapons and had to face the lion hand-to-hand to kill it. Leo is also linked to the god Bacchus, because he is frequently depicted wearing a lion skin. It is one of the few constellations mentioned in the Bible; in Genesis and Revelation, it is the tribal emblem of Judah.

Clear Skies Joe Slomka