Updated
Updated · Science@NASA · Nov 2
NASA Maps November Skywatching as Voyager 1 Reaches 1 Light-Day
Updated
Updated · Science@NASA · Nov 2

NASA Maps November Skywatching as Voyager 1 Reaches 1 Light-Day

3 articles · Updated · Science@NASA · Nov 2

Summary

  • Nov. 17 marks Voyager 1 becoming the first human-made object 1 light-day from Earth, meaning a radio signal takes 24 hours to reach the spacecraft.
  • November’s skywatching lineup also includes the Southern Taurids around Nov. 5 and Northern Taurids around Nov. 12, each producing about five meteors per hour under ideal conditions.
  • Nov. 15-16 brings Mars and Jupiter into a close pre-dawn pairing just 1.2 degrees apart, visible low in the southeast with the naked eye.
  • Nov. 17-18 offers the Leonids after moonset before dawn, with up to 15 meteors per hour under ideal conditions though most viewers will see fewer.
  • Nov. 24 closes the month with a full supermoon, the first of three consecutive supermoons running through January.

Insights

Will the brilliant November supermoon completely outshine the rare, spectacular fireballs expected during this month's meteor showers?
What does a 48-hour communication delay with Voyager 1 reveal about the true limits of humanity's interstellar ambitions?
How much longer can Voyager 1 survive in deep space given its recent power shutdowns and a 48-hour signal delay?