A total lunar eclipse and the Leonid meteor shower highlight November's celestial calendar
November 2022 offers a rare celestial convergence. A total lunar eclipse will turn the moon a dull red in the early morning hours of November 8th, while the Leonid meteor shower peaks later in the month. Despite moonlight interference, these events provide a spectacular opportunity for stargazers to observe the cosmos.
The total lunar eclipse on November 8, 2022, serves as the month's primary astronomical event. For observers on the West Coast of North America, the partial eclipse begins shortly after 1 a.m., reaching its full phase by approximately 2:15 a.m. Those in the Eastern time zone will see the partial phase start after 4 a.m., with the moon setting while still eclipsed. During this event, the moon dims to a dull red, allowing observers to see fainter stars, and those using binoculars may spot the planet Uranus positioned just a finger's width from the eclipsed moon.
Following the eclipse, the Leonid meteor shower remains active throughout the month, peaking after midnight on November 18th. These meteors, which are debris left by comet Tempel-Tuttle, appear to radiate from the constellation Leo. Under ideal conditions, viewers can expect 15 to 20 meteors per hour. However, because the moon will be 35% full on the peak night, it will likely obscure fainter meteors. Experts recommend looking straight overhead rather than toward the constellation to see longer, more spectacular trails.
November also features several planetary alignments. On November 11th, the moon appears between Mars and the star Elnath, which forms the northern horn of Taurus. By November 20th, a crescent moon hangs above the giant star Spica, a massive body 10 times the sun's mass and 12,000 times more luminous, located 260 light years away. Finally, on November 28th, the crescent moon appears beneath Saturn in the southwest after sunset, concluding a month of notable celestial movements.
