November: An Eclipse, Meteors & Planets

By: J. Kelly Beatty November 1, 2022 0

For most of us, November’s switch to standard time means that evening comes early enough to do some casual stargazing before dinnertime. So download or stream our Sky Tour astronomy podcast to find out about this month’s lunar eclipse, possible meteor surprises, and much more.

This episode is sponsored by Celestron, manufacturer of high-quality telescopes and an industry leader in developing exciting optical products with revolutionary technologies.

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This month’s big news, celestially speaking, is not that almost all of the United State returns to Standard time November 6th — y’know, “fall back” and all that? Instead, it’s that the November night sky is chock-full of great things to see. And you can take in all the celestial sights with this month’s Sky Tour astronomy podcast helping you out.

Especially exciting is a total lunar eclipse early on November 8th. Everyone in the contiguous U.S. (all across North America, in fact) will have a chance to see a totally-eclipsed Moon — weather permitting, of course. Those on the West Coast have the geometric advantage, though you’ll have to be up after midnight to watch the show. Along the East Coast totality will be ending roughly at or just after sunrise. The Sky Tour podcast provides the key times that you’ll need to catch this spectacle, and you can also go here for more information about the eclipse.

Moon and Jupiter in early November 2022 — The fat, gibbous Moon skirts close to Jupiter early in November.
*Sky & Telescope*

Meanwhile, three bright planets grace the November evening sky. Jupiter is unmistakable well up in the southeast after sunset. Can you guess which of the other planets will be in view as well? There’s no need to guess if you listen to this month’s podcast!

This is the time of year when several constellations linked by a single mythological saga are well up in the northeastern part of the sky at nightfall. The key players are Cassiopeia, a beautiful and boastful queen; her husband (Cepheus); her daughter Andromeda (an innocent bystander who gets an awful fate); and the hero Perseus, who comes along just in the nick of time. Listen along as this month’s podcast explains who does what to whom — and whether there’s a happy ending!

And while November is known for three modest meteor showers that peak during this month each year, dynamicists are predicting that two of them might be surprisingly active in the coming weeks. As you’ve come to expect, the Sky Tour podcast lets you know when to look and what to watch for.

In fact, you’ll get lots of great skywatching information in the 13 short minutes it takes to listen to this month’s podcast. It’s designed to provide a pleasant, casual, and yet informative romp across the nighttime sky. No experience or equipment is needed! Instead, all you need is a little curiosity, a clear sky, and November’s Sky Tour episode.

Read the full podcast transcript.