Islands in the southern sky

A pretty gathering in the low evening sky, but it’s more likely to be seen from Earth’s southern hemisphere.

As the Moon climbs away from the Sun, it passes close to Mercury and the red star Antares.

The moment when this “trio” of bright bodies is tightest, fitting within a circle of diameter just over 4°, is Nov. 14 21h Universal Time. However, they are then still so low, about 17° from the Sun, that the following evening probably gives a better chance of spotting them. And the crescent of the Moon will be slightly thicker and easier to see.

Moreover, the grouping is on a part of the ecliptic that slopes south from where the Sun now is, depressing it more for north-hemisphere observers. So our scene this time is drawn for a location that approximates Australia and New Zealand.

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4 thoughts on “Islands in the southern sky”

  1. It was beautifully clear all day but then clouded over just before sunset. No visibility at all now.

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