With a second lockdown looming and pretty much nothing else to do, the universe is putting on a show – and it’s probably the most entertaining thing we’ll see all month.
Space enthusiasts, stargazers, or anyone who wants something to watch other than Netflix, should be able to see six of the solar system’s planets this week, as well as the waning Hunter’s Moon.
Anyone who is up before and around sunrise will be able to spot Venus, which will be the brightest star visible, as well as teeny tiny Mercury in the distance.
Mercury should be visible from the UK and the US this week, and will be located just below Venus. However, it will be a bit more difficult to spot, as the latter is expected to be about 70 times brighter than the former.
Meanwhile Mars, Saturn and Jupiter should be noticeable towards the end of the week, in the evening, as long as skies stay as clear as they have been recently.
Mars and Jupiter should be visible to stargazers shortly after the sun sets, when they should appear as the two brightest ‘stars’ in the sky. Jupiter will be towards the western side of the sky, while Mars will be on the eastern side.
Tonight, November 3, you should be able to spot both Jupiter and Saturn shining brightly while close to one another after sunset, as per The Sun.
Then, the week of stargazing should come to a climax on Sunday, November 9, when people will be able to see the moon waning, which means people in the northern hemisphere should be able to get a good look at what the surface of the satellite looks like.
Because we had a full moon on Halloween, October 31, the moon is now getting smaller again, which means only a slither of the surface will be visible. Therefore, the sky will appear much darker than usual – which should make it easier to spot the elusive Uranus.
If you’re a beginner when it comes to planet hunting, you can always use a night sky scanning app, which can be really helpful when it comes to determining which planets are which, as well as pointing out constellations.
It’s as if the universe knew we had nothing better to do and wanted to keep us entertained
