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This is the Griffith Observatory Sky Report through November 14, 2018. Here’s what’s happening in the skies of southern California.
The sky is dark enough by 5:25 p.m. to find three bright planets. At that time, the innermost planet, Mercury, will still be a little challenging to see. Its star-like gleam is then only 5 degrees above the horizon in the southwest, where the sky is still bright. The ringed planet, Saturn, is found about three times higher than Mercury and to Mercury’s upper left. Saturn appears in the constellation Sagittarius the Archer.
Orange planet Mars is nearly at its highest, far to the upper left of Saturn and 38 degrees above the southern horizon. From one night to the next, Mars moves eastward relative to the background stars; on the 10th it moves from Capricornus the Sea Goat to Aquarius the Water Carrier. Mars sets a few minutes before midnight.
The brightest planet, Venus, rises above the eastern horizon during the dawn. Because its orbital motion is taking it out of the glare of the sun, it can be seen earlier each successive morning. Venus appears at 4:56 a.m. on the 7th and at 4:19 a.m. on the 14th. Venus is so bright now, that it can still be seen after sunrise. Binoculars, held steadily, can now reveal the planet’s slender crescent phase.
The moon is new on the 7th, and it returns to visibility in the evening sky on the 8th. The moon appears close to Mercury on the 8th and 9th, and close to Saturn on the 11th. The moon sets about 50 minutes later each successive night. As a result, moonset is at 6:03 p.m. on the 8th and at 10:58 p.m. on the 14th.
The absence of late-night moonlight through the weekend may provide favorable opportunities for observing comet 46P/Wirtanen from wilderness locations that are free from urban light pollution. The comet, which will pass high overhead and only seven million miles from the Earth in mid December, is currently located about 23 million miles away, in the far southern constellation Fornax the Furnace. Comet Wirtanen is about 24 degrees above the southern horizon at 10:30 p.m. It is now magnitude 7 and has been reported as being visible through ordinary binoculars. Detailed finder charts and other comet Wirtanen observing information can be found on the British Cometwatch website.
Free views of the Sun during the day and of the moon, planets, and other celestial objects at night are available to the public in clear weather through Griffith Observatory’s telescopes from Tuesday through Sunday, before 9:30 p.m. Check our website for the schedule. The next free public star party on the grounds of Griffith Observatory, hosted by the Los Angeles Astronomical Society, the Sidewalk Astronomers, and the Planetary Society, will take place on Saturday, November 17. It runs from 2:00 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.
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From Griffith Observatory, I’m Anthony Cook, and I can be reached at griffithobserver@gmail.com.