November 16-17: After sunset, Venus passes the Archer’s Bow. An hour after sunset look to the southwest for brilliant Venus.
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by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Nightly Planet Parade
Five bright planets – Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars – parade westward after sunset. Mercury’s appearance occurs during bright twilight and a binocular is needed to see it. It is to the lower right of Venus, but not within the same binocular field.
Venus Passes Archer’s Bow
Mercury sets about an hour after sunset and about that time Venus stands over 10° above the southwest horizon.
Venus passes the northern star in the Archer’s bow, named Kaus Borealis. On the 16th, the Evening Star is 0.5° to the star’s lower right. On the next evening, Venus is 0.7° to the star’s upper left.
Use a Binocular
Use a binocular to see the planet and the star each evening. Afterward, watch Venus step away from the star.
Each night Venus sets later. The planet is passed its most-southern point along the ecliptic, the plane of the solar system. On the 16th, Venus sets 145 minutes after sundown. At month’s end, it sets 33 minutes later, gaining 2-3 minutes of setting time compared to sunset each night.
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