The crescent moon in the night sky with Jupiter and its satellites is seen in this undated image.
Image Credit: ADOBE STOCK
November 26, 2019 - 6:30 AM
There are some interesting events happening in the night skies above Kamloops and the Okanagan this week, with a forecast calling for clear conditions for sky watching.
You might need to add an extra coat, however, as nighttime temperatures are expected to dip into the negative double digits later in the week.
Mercury will reach its widest separation east of the sun on Thursday, Nov. 28, which will make for its brightest appearance in the night sky this year.
It can best be observed between 6 and 7 a.m. Thursday, shining brightly low in the southeastern sky.
Later on Thursday, the slender crescent of a new moon will be visible after sunset, with Venus and Jupiter both shining brightly in the southwestern sky for about an hour after sunset.
Venus can be found southwest of the moon while Jupiter should be seen to the lower right of the moon, according to space.com
The Leonid meteor shower may have peaked on Nov. 18, but viewing conditions have improved as a new crescent moon means less light in the night sky.
It’s also interesting to note Kamloops and the Okanagan is fast approaching the date of the earliest sunset time for the year, which surprisingly, doesn’t take place on the winter solstice.
Sky and Telescope says the sun sets at its earliest around Dec. 7, which in Kelowna will be 3:57 p.m. this year, according to data from the National Research Council.
The sun sets at 16:04 today, Nov. 25, seven minutes from the minimum.
But on Dec. 21, instead of setting earlier, the sun sets at 3:59 p.m., two minutes later than on Dec. 7.
It’s still the shortest day of the year as the latest sunrise doesn’t occur until early January, making up for the later setting of the sun on Dec. 21.
According to Sky and Telescope, the discrepancy is due to the tilt of the earth’s axis and eccentricity of the earth’s orbit.
Venus and Jupiter are expected to light up the evening sky in Kamloops and the Okanagan Thursday evening, Nov. 28, 2019.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED / Sky & Telescope
To contact a reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad or call 250-488-3065 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to tips@infonews.ca and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.
We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.
News from © iNFOnews, 2019