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This is the Griffith Observatory Sky Report through November 29, 2018. Here’s what’s happening in the skies of southern California.
The planet Mars, in the constellation Aquarius the Water Carrier, continues to gleam with an orange hue in the south when darkness falls, and it sets a few minutes before midnight. The planet has faded a great deal since its close approach at the end of July. This is due entirely to the fact that Mars and Earth are now much farther from each other than they were then; they were 35 million miles at their least distance, and now they are 83 million miles apart.
The brightest planet, Venus, blazes over the southeast horizon at the start of dawn. The crescent phase of the planet can now be seen with just about any telescope, including binoculars.
The moon is full on the 22nd, when it up all night long, and it is last quarter on the 29th, when it rises at 11:48 p.m.
The delay in moonrise from night to night will result in the improving visibility of comet Wirtanen, now in the southern constellation Cetus the Sea Monster. On the 24th, the comet will be 10 degrees high in the southeast when the moon rises at 6:27 p.m. By the 28th, the comet will reach the meridian, at its highest point, 33 degrees above the southern horizon, at 9:51 p.m., nearly an hour before moonrise. The comet may become bright enough to see with the unaided eye in December, but already it can be seen easily through binoculars. Note, however, that to see it at all will require traveling to a wilderness location so that the comet is not washed out by the glow of urban light pollution. Observing information about the comet, including a finder chart, is available from the Sky and Telescope webpage.
Free views of the Sun during the day and of the moon, planets, and other celestial objects at night are available to the public in clear weather through Griffith Observatory’s telescopes from Tuesday through Sunday, before 9:30 p.m. Note that Griffith Observatory will be closed on Thursday, November 22, for Thanksgiving. Check our website for the schedule. The next free public star party on the grounds of Griffith Observatory, hosted by the Los Angeles Astronomical Society, the Sidewalk Astronomers, and the Planetary Society, will take place on Saturday, December 15th.
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From Griffith Observatory, I’m Anthony Cook, and I can be reached at griffithobserver@gmail.com.