Greetings, fellow astrophiles!
The latest article in the Upstate NY Stargazing series, “Upstate NY Stargazing in November: The Leonid meteor shower takes the stage,” has just been posted to newyorkupstate.com and syracuse.com.
Direct Links: newyorkupstate.com and syracuse.com
Some brief highlights…
The Leonids can be impressive and impressively bright, with up-to 20 meteors per hour expected this year. This shower will be improved by the lack of a Moon in the nighttime sky during the peak. To optimize your experience, lie flat on the ground with your feet pointed towards Leo and your head elevated – meteors will then appear to fly right over and around you.
Using Orion et al. to find the backwards question mark of Leo the Lion.
* With Orion out and about at a reasonable hour, the Orion-star-finder has been brought back from the UNY Stargazing archives (again):
Caption: Orion can guide you around its neighborhood. Red = belt stars to Sirius and Canis Major; Orange = Rigel and belt center to Castor and Pollux in Gemini; Yellow = Bellatrix and Betelgeuse to Canis Major; Green = Belt stars to Aldebaran and Taurus; Blue = Saiph and Orion’s head to Capella in Auriga. Click for a larger view.
* While UNY is predicted to be clouded out this November 13th morning, others will hopefully get to see an impressive conjunction between Venus and Jupiter before sunrise.
A very close pairing of Venus and Jupiter, with Mars and the Moon to boot.
* And, finally, we complete our survey of the circumpolar constellations by explaining just what they are and why they’re excellent first targets for new observers:
