November nights bring easy viewing, meteor shower

With the fall evenings it gets dark earlier and that means opportunities to view the night skies without staying up so late. When the sky is clear, and there is little or no wind, bundle up warmly and spend a few minutes outside.

Jupiter still hangs high in the southwest, and binoculars will show its four moons, which Galileo first saw 400 years ago. Look to the west for the Summer Triangle. About midway between the two brightest stars farthest west you will see Albireo. Even a small telescope will display it to be a double star made up of one amber star and one blue star, and together they make a lovely sight.

If we have a clear sky on the night of Nov. 16-17 you have an opportunity to view the Leonids meteor shower. Face east anytime after midnight to see the results of the earth plowing through material left by the comet Tempel-Tuttle. The moon will be new (unlit from our view) so it will not interfere and you might see as many as 100 meteors per hour.

This is also a great time to view the international space station. Its frequent passes can be stunning. Go to the NASA Web site, www.jsc.nasa.gov/sightings, to learn when to look; NASA posts viewing opportunities for the next two weeks for most cities in the country. Print the page and, whenever the sky is clear, step outside for a quick look. The first time you see it you will know right away that you've found it.

Rodney Ash is a member of the Seattle Astronomical Society, www.seattleastro.org.