2019 Week 46: (November 10-November 16)

This will be an amazing week in the sky!  Mercury will transit across the face of the Sun!  This sight will be visible for just over 3 hours from Calgary and then not again until 2049!

Date	Event
November 10	Uranus 4°N of Moon
November 11	Mercury at Inferior Conjunction
November 11	Transit of Mercury
November 12	Vesta at Opposition
November 12	Full Moon
November 12	Northern Taurid Meteors Peak
November 15	Moon 1.5°S of M35

Let's talk about the other sky happenings before we delve deeper into Mercury!

Uranus will be in conjunction with the Moon during the evening of November 10.  The bright waxing gibbous Moon will appear slightly below our seventh planet.  Grab a set of binoculars and float them a little above the Moon to try to find this ice giant!

The brightest asteroid visible from Earth, Vesta, will reach opposition on November 12.  At magnitude 6.5, it can be seen between Taurus and Cetus.  You may need to pull it in with a telescope as the Full Moon will be hanging out 10° from this location.

The Northern Taurid meteor shower will peak on this very same night.  The radiant point is just west of the Pleiades Star Cluster.  Unfortunately, the Full Moon shines its great light pollution on this region of the sky.  The chances of catching a Northern Taurid will be slim.

The Moon progresses eastward in the sky and winds up in Gemini during the evening of November 15.  It will be nearby the open cluster M35 which sits at the foot of the body of Castor.

All this pales in comparison to the main event of the week.  I would even consider this the main event of the year.  The smallest planet, Mercury, will cross the face of the Sun.  When the Moon does this, it is called a solar eclipse.  If you have a properly filtered telescope, you will be able to see this phenomenon.  There are two events happening around Calgary to witness this.  In the South, meet up at Ralph Klein Park between 7:30am-11am.  If you are in the North end of Calgary, head over to Nose Hill Park between the same hours.  Information, with maps, can be found at the link below.

Mercury Transit Calgary

The image below showcases what you will see.

Transit of Mercury - November 11, 2019

The forecast is for cold weather but clear skies.  Dress warmly and pop out of your vehicle for a quick glance of something you may only see once in your life!