Meteor shower banners November treat for stargazers

While they may miss a partial solar eclipse this month, stargazers in November can expect a two-day treat in mid-November with the Leonids meteor shower. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration also (PAGASA) said many stars and planets will be visible during the month. “One of the most prolific meteor showers is the Leonids. Its radiant is in the constellation Leo and meteors from this shower can be seen over a period of about two days centered on approximately the early morning hours of November 18," PAGASA administrator Nathaniel Servando said in PAGASA’s astronomical diary for November. But Servando said that unlike in previous years where it produced hundreds of meteors, astronomers and experts do not predict many meteors this year. He said a zenithal hourly rate (ZHR) of about 10 meteors might occur around the late hours of November 17 until dawn of the following day. Also, he said the Last Quarter Moon on November 18 will interfere with meteors viewing. “The Leonids Meteor Shower is created by bits of debris left behind by the repeat passages through the inner solar system of comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle," he noted. Stars Servando said the “W" formation of stars known as the constellation of Cassiopeia, Draco, Ursa Minor, Perseus and Camelopardalis lie in the northern horizon. Also, the Milky Way runs from the constellation Cygnus in the west, to the constellation Gemini in the east. The large figures of the constellations of Pisces and Cetus spread across the equatorial region of the sky. Servando said a partial eclipse of the Sun will occur on November 25 but will not be visible in the Philippines. Instead, it can be observed from Southern tip of South Africa, Antarctica and Tasmania. Planets Mars will remain visible throughout the early morning hours during November in the constellation of Cancer, and will glow at magnitude +1.0. Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune will be observable in the evening sky throughout the month. At 7 p.m. of November 9, they will be found 34, 53 and 63 degrees above the eastern part of the sky and will lie among the background stars of the constellation Aries, Pisces, and Aquarius respectively. Uranus and Neptune will appear as blue spots in the sky as viewed from a telescope. At 6 p.m. of November 10, Mercury, Venus and Antares, the brightest star in the constellation of Scorpio, will be line up low in the western south western horizon. On November 23, Saturn, Spica, the brightest star of the constellation Virgo, and the waning crescent Moon will be seen close to each other before the sun rises – and will be forming a triangle. — LBG, GMA News