What's up in the sky for Nov 8-15

This week, look to the south for Saturn and Jupiter. They've been in that position for the past several weeks, shining brightly. This week they point the way to Pluto.  While you won't be able to see the demoted planet with the naked eye or even without a very sizable telescope, you can find it's position in the sky, just beneath Jupiter.

Jupiter is currently 478 million miles from Earth and Saturn is another 368 million miles away. Pluto is another 2.2 billion miles beyond that.

Mercury reaches its highest point in the morning sky. It is also at its greatest separation from the Sun in the sky making it a great time to spot it.

The International Space Station will exit Earth's shadow in the west southwest at 5:32 a.m. setting on the southeastern horizon 4 minutes later.

United Launch Alliance (ULA) plans the launch of a classified satellite from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 5:22 p.m. The launch has been rescheduled several times due to technical problems including an issue with a valve on the giant liquid oxygen tanks at the launch pad as well as impending weather from Tropical Storm Eta.

The rocket's trajectory takes it along a path which may make it visible from coastal areas from Florida to the Carolinas. Weather could be challenging with the latest launch weather forecast providing only a 40% chance of favorable conditions for launch. Winds at the ground level as well thick clouds and cumulous clouds that are known to trigger lighting are primary concerns.

The International Space Station will exit Earth's shadow in the east southeast at 4:46 a.m. setting on the southeastern horizon 4 minutes later.

The last of three conjunctions with Pluto and Jupiter. Not visible with the naked eye, or even without a really sizable telescope, but its kinda cool knowing where Pluto is in the sky.