Lots to be thankful for up in the November skies, including a total lunar eclipse

As 2022 is nearly complete, we look to the skies of November for some amazing events to rally around.

November is the month which sees the skies open up their full beauty with cool and clear nights and shorter days. Just the thing that many fans of this column and others look for!

First, we would like to wish you the best for a great healthy and happy Thanksgiving season.

We begin our celestial journey with the magic of the moon.

This month we have a real special event for all of you to view across the United States (but only some parts of Alaska) – the second total lunar eclipse of 2022.

More on that in just a while.

The moon begins its November calendar journey in the first quarter. You will see this in the south at sunset and one of the best times to view the moon with shadow relief. From here, the moon then glides past Jupiter on Nov. 4, as a gibbous moon.

From here the big event of the month, a total lunar eclipse on the morning of Nov. 8, Election Day. This appears to be the first Election Day with a total lunar eclipse – how interesting!

This lunar eclipse as mentioned before is the second of its kind in 2022. The previous eclipse occurred May 15.

For many in the eastern portion of the USA, the Nov. 8 eclipse will occur at best just before sunrise, and for the western half of the USA, during the early morning hours.

Here are some of the details on this interesting eclipse.

First of all; remember that much of the U.S. goes off Daylight Saving Time at 2 a.m. Nov. 6.

Here are times of this eclipse:

Partial phases begin: 4:09 a.m. EST / 2:09 a.m. Arizona time

Totality begins: 5:16 a.m. EST / 3:16 a.m. Arizona time

Maximum eclipse: 5:59 a.m. EST / 3:59 a.m. Arizona time – totality lasts 84 minutes

Totality ends: 6:41 a.m. EST / 4:41 a.m. Arizona time

Partial Phases end: 7:49 a.m. EST / 5:49 a.m. Arizona time

The western regions of the USA are favored for the full eclipse!

This is a special eclipse in that the moon will ride high in the sky for most of the eclipse as this is known as the full beaver moon.

More on this eclipse and how best to view it.

When will another total lunar eclipse occur on Nov. 8?

From here, the moon will move on to last quarter on the 16th and then on to another new moon on the 30th.

Pay close attention to a close pass of the moon and Mars on the 11th as the moon will be 2 degrees from the moon on the 11th.

Even more amazing will be the planet Uranus being only 0.7 degrees from the eclipsed moon on the 8th. In some locations the moon will eclipse (occult) Uranus.

In November we get to view the planet Saturn, high in the south at sunset and visible to the naked eye.

Jupiter remains a bright object in the east at sunset.

Mars gets closer to Earth and brighter, easy to see in the northeastern sky around 10 p.m.

One last important event on the November calendar is the annual Leonid meteor shower.

This year with a waning moon the display may be decent. The peak should occur during the early hours of Nov. 17-18.

Look to the eastern sky after 2 a.m. till sunrise.

The Leonids can “roar” with great activity, but no one can predict for sure the results!

November skies have something for everyone.

To print your own monthly star chart, click here.

To view satellites/dates/times of passage, click here.

Listen to the Dr. Sky Show on KTAR News 92.3 FM every Saturday at 3 a.m.

Podcasts are available here.