Mercury was at greatest western elongation (18 degrees) on Oct. 22nd, and should still be visible to northern hemisphere observers during bright morning twilight in the first days of the month. Mercury is at superior conjunction on Nov. 25th. Venus brightens to magnitude -4.2 during the month, dominating the evening sky since it sets well after it gets dark. On Nov. 30th the two brightest planets have a striking conjunction, as Venus passes 2 degrees south of magnitude -1.9 Jupiter, while the three day old crescent Moon with earthshine has closed to only 7 degrees away (as seen from the west coast of North America), a scene that will make for a wonderful photo opportunity. Northern observers will need a flat southwestern horizon to view the trio. Mars will be in conjunction with the Sun on Dec. 5th, and is therefore hidden in the Sun's glare. Jupiter decorates the evening sky, especially at month's end when it joins Venus. At the end of civil twilight on the 15th, Jupiter is approximately 32 degrees up in the southwest. It sets in the west-southwest during mid-evening for mid-northern observers. Saturn, in Leo, rises in the east near 01:30 am at mid-month. By morning civil twilight its altitude in the southeast is approximately 47 degrees. On the 15th of the month the inclination of the rings is only 1.5 degrees from edge-on.