During the resourceful week several brilliant stars are in good view as the sky gets dark early evening. The stars of the Summer Triangle — Vega, Deneb, and Altair — stand high to the right of our view.  In order to facilitate quick spotting of the stars. Students were asked to draw a line from Altair, the brightest star sparkling in the dark sky, through Vega, another star which even brighter.

Many other stars are in good view as well, thanks to the Moon — or to be more specific, the Moon’s absence. The Moon during this week on Monday, November 18, 2019 rises later and later each night setting after sunrise early morning. The Pleiades open star cluster (M45) in Taurus will be well placed for observation. It will reach its highest point in the sky at around midnight local time.

In twilight this evening and tomorrow evening, Venus and Jupiter are just 1½° apart. Think photo opportunity. Around 7 or 8 p.m. now, the Great Square of Pegasus stands in its level position very high.

 Week’s Planet Roundup

Mercury should become visible low in the dawn by about November 22nd, as it emerges out from behind the Sun.

Venus and Jupiter shine in the southwest during bright twilight.

Mars is low in the upper right of difficult or impossible Mercury.

Saturn is the steady yellow “star” after dusk.

Uranus is well up in the east by 7 or 8 p.m. and highest in the around 10.

Neptune is highest during the hour or two after dark.