Moon, Saturn, Jupiter! The waxing crescent moon will sweep past Saturn and Jupiter on the evenings of November 9, 10 and 11, 2021. Saturn is 4 degrees north of the moon on November 10 at about 14:00 UTC. Jupiter is 4 degrees north of the moon on November 11 at about 17:00 UTC. Also watch for dazzling Venus to the west. By the end of November, Saturn will be about midway between Jupiter and Venus. And Venus is headed for another greatest brilliancy in late November and early December.
Moon, Saturn, Jupiter
Jupiter is the second-brightest starlike object in the November evening sky (only Venus appears as a brighter “star”). Jupiter is still near Saturn in the sky, nearly a year after their late 2020 great conjunction. Watch for Jupiter and Saturn near the moon on November 9, 10 and 11, 2021.
We call Jupiter the king of the planets, because it’s the largest planet in our solar system. It’s second only to Venus in brightness among the planets, and among the stars in the November sky. In November 2021, Jupiter is in front of the stars of eastern Capricornus. For people with very good eyesight and who are in a dark site away from city lights, look just below Jupiter for two dim stars, Deneb Algiedi (aka Delta Caprcorni) and Nashira (aka Gamma Capricorni). Binocular users will have no trouble seeing them. Throughout November, Jupiter moves eastward every night, leaving these two stars behind as December approaches.
Saturn is fainter than Jupiter, but brighter than most stars. It’s golden in color and shines with a steady light. Saturn can be overlooked. But it’s easy to identify. Simply fully extend your arm and make a fist. Place bright Jupiter on the left side, and Saturn will be the object on the right side.
As with Jupiter, Saturn can be seen in November 2021 moving in front of the background stars of Capricornus. Those people using only their eyes and who have very good eyesight, as well as binocular users, will see Saturn sliding below the dim star Upsilon Capricorni throughout November.
All month long, watch Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter. The two giant planets move towards brilliant Venus. By the end of November, Saturn will sit nearly midway between Jupiter and Venus, forming planetary bookends!
On any evening in November 2021, you can see 3 bright planets in the evening sky. They are Venus (brightest and closet to the sunset point), Jupiter (2nd-brightest) and Saturn. All 3 are very bright and noticeable. Plus they follow the ecliptic – sun’s path – across our sky. Jupiter and Saturn appear to move toward Venus throughout November. When November ends, the 3 planets will appear noticeably close, with Saturn midway between Jupiter and Venus. Chart via Stellarium.
Bottom line: The waxing crescent moon will sweep past Saturn and Jupiter on the evenings of November 9, 10 and 11, 2021. Watch for Venus, too, to the west.
“I can sometimes see the moon in the daytime” was a cosmic revelation that John Jardine Goss first discovered through personal observations at age 6. It shook his young concept of the universe and launched his interest in astronomy and stargazing, a fascination he still holds today. John is past president of the Astronomical League, the largest U.S. federation of astronomical societies, with over 20,000 members. He's earned the title of Master Observer and has authored the celestial observing guides Exploring the Starry Realm and Carpe Lunam. John also writes a monthly stargazing column, Roanoke Skies, for the Roanoke Times, and a bimonthly column, Skywatch, for Blue Ridge Country magazine. He has contributed to Sky and Telescope magazine, the IDA Nightscape, the Astronomical League’s Reflector magazine, and the RASC Observer’s Handbook.
Deborah Byrd created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. Today, she serves as Editor-in-Chief of this website. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named 3505 Byrd in her honor. In 2020, she won the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society, the largest organization of professional astronomers in North America. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.
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