Three of the biggest planets in our solar system (Mars, Jupiter and Venus) will gather closer than one degree to one another.
Astronomers invite space lovers to prepare for planets’ November dance and for the Leonid Meteor Shower. The trajectory that the planets will follow during November will be visible anytime, so space watchers won’t need binoculars or any other special tools to watch them.
Just like in the past months, when the major planets of our Solar System have enchanted us with amazing views, November, too, will see the alignment of Mars, Venus and Jupiter. Mercury used to take part in this planets’ November dance, but this month, it will retreat to a shadowy area for a while.
Space aficionados, who want to watch the three planets while they align or revolve around each other, will have the opportunity to do so from the very first days of the month. NASA informs us that Mars, Venus and Jupiter will reunite near the Leo and the Virgo constellations and they will be visible most of the times.
The best time to watch the three giants will be at approximately 1 A.M. and 2 A.M. in the morning. Nevertheless, it is better to keep a close eye on NASA’s reports as the planets will not stay in one particular position, but will continue to spin on the sky’s dancing floor, instead. On the 3rd of November, the three stars will form a conjunction and there will be less than one degree of space between them.
The presence of the three giant planets is not the only important event that astronomers have to consider. On the contrary, the sky appears to save the best for the final days of the month, when viewers will be able to watch the amazing Leonid meteor shower.
The Leonids, as scientists have nicknamed them, are meteor showers that originate from the comet Tempel-Tuttle. Their name is inspired by the close proximity of the meteoroids to the Leo constellation where they are most visible.
The Leonid Meteor Shower is always impressive to watch even though some storms may be more prolific than others. Astronomers like to look at the number of stars that fall per hour to estimate the intensity of the shower. This year, they have labeled the Leonid Meteor shower as a normal event considering that only 20 shooting stars will be visible every hour.
Nevertheless, the meteors are always fun to watch, so make sure you book good seats by November 18th, the official date of the Leonids. As usual, the stars will be more visible in suburban areas where the city lights are not so powerful.
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