Science and Tech

November to offer beautiful view of visible planets

By THT Online

Glimpse of Venus just above the crescent moon is seen in the morning sky of December 13, 2020. Photo: Kriti Jsohi/THT Online

KATHMANDU, NOVEMBER 3

For all the night sky lovers, November month will give you plenty of opportunities to watch the visible planets as they appear the sky's dome.

Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are the brighter planets that are easily visible to naked eyes.

Among these, the brightest in the night sky is Venus. Look west, a little left from the sunset point, to watch it in its glory.

Venus reached its farthest distance from the sun on the earthsky on October 29. People from across the globe can view this planet first thing as the sky turns dark.

To enjoy more, catch this planet on November 6, 7 and 8 as it will be accompanied by the crescent moon - both passing by each other.

Not very far from Venus, there are two other planets – Jupiter (second-brightest after Venus) and Saturn, closer to each other towards the south.

As Venus shifts upward as each night passes, it will come close to meet Jupiter and Saturn by the end of November and towards December.

After passing Venus on November 8, the moon will pass through Jupiter and Saturn on the 9, 10 and 11 of November.

These three are currently reigning the sky after sunset. They are hard to miss if you don't miss to look up.

However, finding the tiny Mercury can be a struggle as it rises along with the sun every morning since its arrival in mid-October.

As for Mars, though the planet is just below the Mercury, the sun glare will completely ghost its presence. But, it will return late in December to visible again in earthsky.

Compiled by Kriti Joshi