NOVEMBER NIGHT SKY GUIDE (Mid-Northern Latitudes)

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🗓️ General Conditions

      • Sunset: ~5:00 PM EST

      • Astronomical Twilight Ends: ~6:30 PM

      • Dark Sky Window: ~6:30 PM – 5:30 AM

      • Milky Way: Prominent early evening in the southwest, running through Aquila and Cygnus

      • Best Seeing Hours: 9 PM – 2 AM (calm air after temperature stabilizes)

    🌠 1. PLANETS

    Jupiter — King of the Planets

        • Constellation: Aries

        • Visibility: Rises near sunset, visible all night

        • Details: At opposition in early November, shining at mag –2.9 and ~50″ wide — ideal for high-power views.

        • Features: Watch for the Great Red Spot transits and shadow crossings of the Galilean moons.

        • Astrophotography Tip: Use short video captures (≤ 1 min) to stack in AutoStakkert! for detailed results.

      Saturn

          • Constellation: Aquarius

          • Visibility: Early evening in the southwest

          • Details: Rings still nicely open (~18° tilt); disk ~17″, magnitude +0.7.

          • Observation: Great for public events before 9 PM. Titan is easily visible in small scopes.

        Uranus & Neptune

            • Uranus: In Aries, mag +5.7, visible all night; opposition mid-month — excellent imaging target for Seestar S50.

            • Neptune: In Aquarius, mag +7.8; visible early evening with a bluish tint in small scopes.

          🌌 2. DEEP-SKY SHOWPIECES

          The Andromeda Galaxy (M31)

              • Type: Spiral Galaxy

              • Magnitude: +3.4

              • Location: Andromeda

              • Best Time: 8 PM – 2 AM high overhead

              • Details: Easily visible to naked eye from dark sites; fills the Seestar’s FOV nicely.

              • Targets nearby: M32 and M110 companion galaxies.

            The Double Cluster (NGC 869 & 884)

                • Type: Open Clusters

                • Constellation: Perseus

                • Magnitude: +4.3

                • Details: A dazzling twin cluster through binoculars or wide-field imaging — brilliant blue and gold stars.

                • Best Time: 9 PM – 3 AM near zenith.

              The Pleiades (M45)

                  • Type: Open Cluster

                  • Constellation: Taurus

                  • Magnitude: +1.6

                  • Details: “Seven Sisters,” visible to the naked eye. Under long exposures, faint reflection nebulae appear — an ideal Seestar target.

                  • Best Time: 10 PM – 4 AM overhead by midnight.

                Orion Nebula (M42 & M43)

                    • Type: Emission Nebula

                    • Constellation: Orion

                    • Magnitude: +4.0

                    • Details: Rising in the southeast by ~11 PM. The Trapezium cluster is visible even at 50×.

                    • Astrophotography: Use multiple short exposures to capture both the bright core and faint outer gas.

                    • Bonus: Include the Running Man Nebula (NGC 1977) in wide-field views.

                  The Crab Nebula (M1)

                      • Type: Supernova Remnant

                      • Constellation: Taurus

                      • Magnitude: +8.4

                      • Details: Near Zeta Tauri (the southern horn of Taurus). Subtle but rewarding with good transparency.

                    The Triangulum Galaxy (M33)

                        • Type: Spiral Galaxy

                        • Constellation: Triangulum

                        • Magnitude: +5.7

                        • Details: Large, diffuse face-on spiral; best seen from dark skies. Shows structure in stacked Seestar images.

                      The Hyades Cluster

                          • Type: Open Cluster

                          • Constellation: Taurus

                          • Magnitude: +0.5

                          • Details: Forms the “V” shape of Taurus’s face. Aldebaran appears part of it but lies in foreground. Excellent binocular target.

                        🌌 3. EARLY WINTER CONSTELLATIONS

                        Constellation Key Targets Notes
                        Cassiopeia M52, M103, Bubble Nebula Overhead; rich in open clusters
                        Perseus Double Cluster, California Nebula (NGC 1499) Great wide-field imaging
                        Taurus M45, M1, Hyades Bright in east by mid-evening
                        Orion M42, NGC 1981, Belt Stars Rising late; heralds winter sky
                        Auriga M36, M37, M38 Three open clusters within one degree — perfect small-scope targets

                        🌠 4. METEOR SHOWERS

                        Leonids (Nov 17–18)

                            • Radiant: Leo

                            • ZHR: ~15–20/hr

                            • Peak Window: Morning of Nov 18 before dawn

                            • Moon Phase: Often favorable — look east after midnight

                            • Note: Historically produces spectacular storms (~33-year cycle)

                          🔭 5. BONUS OBJECTS FOR SMALL TELESCOPES

                          Object Type Mag Notes
                          NGC 457 (ET Cluster) Open Cluster 6.4 Cassiopeia; looks like an alien “ET” with outstretched arms
                          NGC 2392 (Eskimo Nebula) Planetary Nebula 9.2 Gemini; bright inner core
                          NGC 7662 (Blue Snowball) Planetary Nebula 8.3 Andromeda; tiny turquoise disk
                          NGC 253 (Sculptor Galaxy) Spiral Galaxy 7.1 Low in south; bright elongated core
                          IC 405 (Flaming Star Nebula) Emission Nebula 6.0 Auriga; requires long exposures

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