November’s full Moon completes a series of four supermoons that have occurred in recent months. In addition, November’s full Moon, will appear in the sky in the company of the open cluster Pleiades.
The series of supermoons is about to end
The past months have brought us an astronomical phenomenon called a super full moon, also known as a supermoon. The Moon gets this name when a full moon coincides with its perigee – the point of its orbit closest to Earth. As a result, the Moon appears larger and brighter than during a standard full moon. They recently occurred on August 19, September 17, October 17 and will occur today on November 15, 2024. Today the full Moon will be 361,000 kilometers from Earth. It will rise at 3:16 pm and set on November 16 at 8:18 am
Full Moon in the company of the Seven Sisters
Today the Moon will be near the Pleiades, one of the most famous open clusters in the constellation of Taurus. This is a unique opportunity for observation. The Moon and the Pleiades will be visible for most of the night, but it is best to start observing after dark, when they will be higher above the horizon.
The Pleiades, also known as M45, is a group of young, hot stars located about 440 light-years from Earth. In a dark, cloudless sky, up to 6-7 of the brightest stars in this cluster, which are often referred to as the “Seven Sisters,” can be seen with the naked eye. In fact, the Pleiades consist of several hundred stars surrounded by a subtle reflection nebula that reflects their light.
