Start with identifying Uranus. This planet which takes 84 earth-years to go round the Sun once, is actually the sixth planet visible to the naked eyes. It was discovered by William Herschel on March 13, 1781. Uranus lies most of the time at the limit of naked eye visibility. But let it not bother you too much. If you even have a pair of low power binoculars you can locate it in the sky. Uranus will be close to a star Theta Capricorni and I have marked it's position on the map. Look for this field and in a few days you should be able to see that Uranus is getting closer to the star. Now try if you can identify it with just the naked eyes.

Another object to look for this month is Omicorn or Mira Ceti in Cetus, the Whale.It changes its brightness. Mira is intrinsically a variable star. It is normally too faint to be seen even through low power binoculars. But the star has started brightening up and it should become easily identifiable this month. This star Mira (meaning wonderful) is going through physical changes and is expanding and contracting. We thus see its light output change.

To help you track its brightness change, I have prepared a detailed map. I also have a map showing the path of Uranus. If you want you can obtain the both by sending me a self-addressed stamped envelope at IUCAA, Post Bag No 4, Ganeshkhind, Pune 411007.

Algol in Perseus, the Champion (Yayati) is an example of extrinsic variable star. This is a system of two stars, one very faint and the other bright, orbiting round each other. The orbital plane of this pair almost coincides with the plane of Earth's orbit round the Sun and thus we can observe eclipse of the brighter star by the fainter one. The eclipse, which lasts for about 10 hours, takes place periodically at the interval of about 2 days and 20 hours.

The suitable dates for us to watch the eclipse are Nov 2 (it is faintest at 8:01 pm.), on the night of 19th (it is faintest at 00:55 a.m. of 20th Nov.) and on 22nd (it is faintest 9:44 p.m).
Arvind Paranjpye, IUCAA

The Weekly watch
Monday (1st) to Sunday (7th): The Last quarter of the lunar phase has started. The Moon rises after the midnight, so next 15 days or so are good for dark sky watching. Hunt for Uranus. Look of M31, the great Andromeda galaxy in Androemda of course. Also look for h&x open cluster in Perseus and M39 in Cygnus, the Swan. You can trace out Eridanus, the River (Yamuna).

We will be closest to Saturn on November 6. One of its moons, Titan, can be seen through a small telescope. On 2nd and 18th it is due North of Saturn and on 10th and 26th it is due South of the planet. Get up early on 4th to watch a nice pair of Venus ad Moon in the eastern sky.

Monday (8th) to Sunday (14th): The new moon is on 8th. Look for the old moon in new moon's arms on 9th and on 10th close to the western horizon. See Mars on 13th within three degrees of the Moon. The Moon occults Neptune on 14th. As soon as it gets dark start scanning the darker limb of the Moon using a good pair of binoculars. The planet should become visible to you. It will be occulted by the Moon at 21:10:32 IST (the prediction accuracy is 1 second) the Moon will be about 21 above the western horizon.

Monday (15th) to Sunday (21st): The Leonids are expected to peak during pre-dawn hours of 18th. On 20th the Moon passes close to Jupiter.

Monday (22nd) to Sunday (28th): Near full moon is to the right of Saturn in early evening. The full moon is on 23rd. On 25th as soon as it gets dark look for Algol. It will be brightening up.

Monday (29th) to Sun. (5th December) : On 30th Venus is closest to Spica. Then From 3rd till 5th watch Moon sliding past Spica and Venus. On 5th Moon is exactly half way between Venus and Mercury.