Southern Hemisphere night sky tonight: highlights, November 2023<\/strong><\/h2>Jupiter is at opposition on 3 November<\/a> and at its brightest and largest for the year.<\/p>Located in a rather barren region in Aries, this mag. \u20132.9 beacon can\u2019t be missed, with only Venus being more luminous.<\/p>
Although always visible through small scopes, don\u2019t miss appreciating it now when its size (about 50 arcseconds) is around 5% larger than when close to conjunction.<\/p>
This makes it easier to see detail in its northern and southern equatorial belts and the Great Red Spot<\/a>.<\/p>For more advice, read our guides on how to observe Jupiter through a telescope<\/a> and how to photograph Jupiter<\/a>.<\/p>Stars and constellations<\/strong><\/h2>The Sculptor Galaxy, Bernard Miller, Martin Pugh, Yass, New South Wales, Australia, 12 November 2018. Equipment: Planewave CDK-17 Dall-Kirkham reflector, Paramount ME mount, SBIG STXL-11002 camera.<\/figcaption><\/figure>As we look below the plane of the Milky Way, with our Galaxy hugging the horizon, the constellation of Sculptor is nearly overhead, for it is home to the South Galactic Pole.<\/p>
The view looking back<\/em> from this direction would show our Galaxy face-on.<\/p>For example, we see the brilliant spiral NGC 253 nearly edge-on.<\/p>
From this galaxy, 11 million lightyears away, the Milky Way\u2019s nucleus, central bar and spiral arms would be magnificently displayed \u2013 sadly a view we can never share!\u00a0<\/p>
Planets<\/strong><\/h2>![\"Jupiter](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2019\/02\/Jupiter-e41152d.jpg\")
Jupiter by Tom Bishton, Brisbane, Australia. Equipment: Celestron CPC 800 SCT, Skyris 618C CCD.<\/figcaption><\/figure>Towards the end of November, Mercury makes a poor return to the evening sky, remaining low in the western twilight.<\/p>
Saturn is still an early treat, being due north (culminating) around sunset, with Neptune following two hours later.<\/p>
Being at opposition this month, both Jupiter and Uranus are rising in the twilight and visible all night. <\/p>
Jupiter leads its outer Solar System sibling by about an hour.<\/p>
Turning to the morning, Venus remains a fixed beacon rising around 03:00.<\/p>
Deep-sky objects<\/strong><\/h2>![\"Loops](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2021\/05\/Cosmic-dust-ed7b9be.jpg\")
Loops and blobs of cosmic dust in elliptical galaxy NGC 1316. Credit: NASA, ESA, and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI\/AURA)<\/figcaption><\/figure>In November 2023, take a trip to two extra-galactic denizens in Fornax, a constellation that\u2019s home to many galaxies, its brightest member being NGC 1316 (RA 3h 22.7m, dec. \u201337\u00b0 13\u2019).<\/p>
In a 15cm telescope, this fine mag. 8.5 lenticular galaxy clearly shows a 2 x 3-arcminute hazy halo, rising to a brighter core region.<\/p>
Only 5 arcminutes north lies the galaxy NGC 1317, appearing as a bright, well-defined, 0.5-arcminute circular cloud.<\/p>![\"Spiral](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2022\/01\/14_potw2148a-5a27cf6.jpg\")
Spiral galaxy NGC 1317 in the constellation Fornax, as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope. Credit: ESA\/Hubble & NASA, J. Lee and the PHANGS-HST Team<\/figcaption><\/figure>Fornax also contains the brightest (mag. 9.5) barred spiral galaxy known: NGC 1365 (RA 3h 33.6m, dec. \u201336\u00b0 09\u2019).<\/p>
Its bright, circular central core stands out, being embedded in a broad, 3-arcminute-long bar.<\/p>
This is surrounded by a faint halo that looks somewhat mottled, and on a good night with averted vision<\/a> its spiral arms can be glimpsed, giving the galaxy the overall shape of a distorted letter \u2018S\u2019.<\/p>Southern Hemisphere Star Charts<\/strong><\/h2>Access this month’s and all previous star charts for the Southern Hemisphere by clicking on the links below.<\/p>
Southern Hemisphere Star Chart November 2023 (PDF)<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>
Located in a rather barren region in Aries, this mag. \u20132.9 beacon can\u2019t be missed, with only Venus being more luminous.<\/p>
Although always visible through small scopes, don\u2019t miss appreciating it now when its size (about 50 arcseconds) is around 5% larger than when close to conjunction.<\/p>
This makes it easier to see detail in its northern and southern equatorial belts and the Great Red Spot<\/a>.<\/p> For more advice, read our guides on how to observe Jupiter through a telescope<\/a> and how to photograph Jupiter<\/a>.<\/p> As we look below the plane of the Milky Way, with our Galaxy hugging the horizon, the constellation of Sculptor is nearly overhead, for it is home to the South Galactic Pole.<\/p> The view looking back<\/em> from this direction would show our Galaxy face-on.<\/p> For example, we see the brilliant spiral NGC 253 nearly edge-on.<\/p> From this galaxy, 11 million lightyears away, the Milky Way\u2019s nucleus, central bar and spiral arms would be magnificently displayed \u2013 sadly a view we can never share!\u00a0<\/p> Towards the end of November, Mercury makes a poor return to the evening sky, remaining low in the western twilight.<\/p> Saturn is still an early treat, being due north (culminating) around sunset, with Neptune following two hours later.<\/p> Being at opposition this month, both Jupiter and Uranus are rising in the twilight and visible all night. <\/p> Jupiter leads its outer Solar System sibling by about an hour.<\/p> Turning to the morning, Venus remains a fixed beacon rising around 03:00.<\/p> In November 2023, take a trip to two extra-galactic denizens in Fornax, a constellation that\u2019s home to many galaxies, its brightest member being NGC 1316 (RA 3h 22.7m, dec. \u201337\u00b0 13\u2019).<\/p> In a 15cm telescope, this fine mag. 8.5 lenticular galaxy clearly shows a 2 x 3-arcminute hazy halo, rising to a brighter core region.<\/p> Only 5 arcminutes north lies the galaxy NGC 1317, appearing as a bright, well-defined, 0.5-arcminute circular cloud.<\/p> Fornax also contains the brightest (mag. 9.5) barred spiral galaxy known: NGC 1365 (RA 3h 33.6m, dec. \u201336\u00b0 09\u2019).<\/p> Its bright, circular central core stands out, being embedded in a broad, 3-arcminute-long bar.<\/p> This is surrounded by a faint halo that looks somewhat mottled, and on a good night with averted vision<\/a> its spiral arms can be glimpsed, giving the galaxy the overall shape of a distorted letter \u2018S\u2019.<\/p> Access this month’s and all previous star charts for the Southern Hemisphere by clicking on the links below.<\/p> Southern Hemisphere Star Chart November 2023 (PDF)<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>Stars and constellations<\/strong><\/h2>
Planets<\/strong><\/h2>
Deep-sky objects<\/strong><\/h2>
Southern Hemisphere Star Charts<\/strong><\/h2>