See Jupiter At Its Biggest And Best: The Night Sky This Week

Each Monday I pick out the northern hemisphere’s celestial highlights (mid-northern latitudes) for the week ahead, but be sure to check my main feed for more in-depth articles on stargazing, astronomy, eclipses and more.

The Night Sky This Week: October 30-November 5, 2023

There are few better sights in the solar system than Jupiter. A bright light in the night sky for much of the year, it peaks this week in both brightness and apparent size as it reaches its annual opposition.

It’s a good week for stargazing generally, with the moon reaching its last quarter phase, which sees it rise after midnight, clearing the way for excellent conditions for early evening observing.

Here’s everything you need to know about the night sky this week:

Monday, October 30: Moon, Pleiades, Uranus And Jupiter

Rising after dark tonight will be a waning gibbous moon, still 94%-lit so seeming almost “full.” Just 1º above to its upper-right will be the sparkling open cluster of stars, the Pleiades. Between the moon and bright Jupiter farther to the right will be tiny Uranus, which can be glimpsed in binoculars or a small telescope.

Thursday, November 2: Jupiter Reaches Opposition

Tonight sees the giant planet at its biggest, brightest and best in 2023. Jupiter itself is doing nothing special. All that will happen is that our planet, in its much faster orbit of the sun, will get between the sun and Jupiter. The latter is consequently fully lit as seen from Earth. From our point of view, we can not only see 100% of its disk, but see it rise in the east at sunset and set in the west at sunrise. This week is the best time of year to see Jupiter either with the naked eye, binoculars or a small telescope.

Friday, November 3: The Moon And ‘The Twins’ Of Gemini

Look east-northeast about an hour before midnight and you’ll see a 61%-lit crescent moon rising in the east-northeast beneath Castor and Pollux, the brightest stars in the constellation Gemini.

Sunday, November 5: Last Quarter Moon

Today our satellite reaches its last quarter phase, rising later each night and reducing in illumination. It’s also a great time to look for the moon in western sky during the morning.

Object Of The Week: Jupiter’s Cloud Bands And Giant Moons

With Earth directly between the sun and the giant planet, the latter will appear to be at its brightest of 2023 as seen from Earth. Get behind any small telescope and you’ll be able to see Jupiter’s distinctive cloud bands—as well as its Great Red Spot, the solar system’s largest storm 22º south of Jupiter’s equator, which has been raging since at least the year 1830. Even with binoculars you’ll easily see its four largest moons; Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto.

Stargazing Tip Of The Week: Think Twice About A Telescope

If you’ve been enjoying stargazing for a few weeks, months or years you may be thinking it’s time to take the next step and buy a telescope. Many people do this after their first stargazing session, or get bought a telescope for their birthday or for Christmas soon after showing any interest in the night sky.

Buying a telescope can so often be a huge mistake. Most affordable telescopes are of poor quality—unless you know exactly what you’re looking for and exactly what you want to look at it can be so easy to make a poor purchase.

The best advice I can give to anyone wanting to take the next step in stargazing is to buy a pair of binoculars. In my opinion there are three layers in the night sky—naked eye objects, binocular objects and the telescope objects in the deep sky. So why miss out a layer and go straight for a telescope?

However, the exception are planets—such as Jupiter, which looks incredible through any telescope.

If you do want to try some telescopes then join your local astronomy club. Use a variety of different types of telescope and have a look at some nebula and galaxies. You’ll then be able to make your own informed decision—and for most people the best decision is to avoid buying a telescope altogether, saving the experience for special stargazing events, star parties and visits to observatories.

Times and dates given apply to mid-northern latitudes. For the most accurate location-specific information consult online planetariums like Stellarium and The Sky Live. Check planet-rise/planet-set, sunrise/sunset and moonrise/moonset times for where you are.

Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.