8 Night Sky Events to See in November, From a Supermoon to 3 Meteor Showers

Not one, but three meteor showers could bring streaking fireballs to November’s night skies. If that’s not enough to whet your appetite, here’s another: The month will bring the first of three consecutive supermoons—a phenomenon skywatchers haven’t seen since January.

Northern lights season remains in full swing. While the sun’s peak period of activity, solar maximum, is behind us, we’re still seeing impressive autumn displays—including a mid-latitude show in early October. There’s likely more where that came from as winter’s long dark hours begin, especially in far-north locales like Iceland and Norway.

Here’s everything to watch for in November’s night sky, including tips on when and where to watch.

Moon, Mars, Jupiter alignment—November 2-3

Around midnight on November 2 and 3, the moon, Mars, and Jupiter will appear in a tight line above the eastern horizon. The trio will travel higher through the sky until sunrise, with the planets and moon within roughly six degrees—or about a binocular field—of each other on November 2. Regulus, the brightest star in the Leo constellation, will be visible just below them.

(How to Photograph the Stars Using Your Phone.)

Trace the line of the sky dots up to find the Beehive Cluster, an open star cluster in the Cancer constellation. Under dark skies, it looks like a smudge to the naked eye, but a telescope or binoculars will get you closer to its collection of roughly 1,000 stars. Use a stargazing app to help you navigate the night sky.

Taurid meteor shower peaks—November 4-5, 11-12

November begins with two companion meteor shower streams: the Southern and Northern Taurids. Both events are mild, producing about five meteors per hour. But this year, they coincide with a dim moon, which will reduce the amount of light. With dark skies, you could see impressive streaks during each event; keep an eye out for the vivid fireballs these showers are known for.

The Southern Taurids peak overnight from November 4 to 5, while the Northern Taurids reach their crescendo from November 11 to 12. Both are best enjoyed after midnight, when the Taurus constellation—the radiant for both showers—is highest in the sky. They’re both visible from the northern and southern hemispheres.

New moon—November 9

This month, deep-sky objects like the Orion Nebula and Andromeda Galaxy are easy targets, and they’re best viewed under dark skies without lunar light. For that, bookmark the new moon night on November 9. This evening and the nights around it are perfect for spotting galaxies and nebulae, especially if you have access to a telescope. Some observatories also stay open late for public stargazing.

(Become an expert stargazer—in one week.)

Planet parade—mid-November

Watch a predawn planet parade from around November 14 to 16, when Mars and Jupiter will appear in the southern sky as close as roughly one degree, or one pinky width, of each other. Above the southeast horizon, Mercury and Venus will also rise before the sun. Uranus is out this month as well, although you’ll likely need strong binoculars or a telescope to see it as it travels from east to west throughout the night. Best viewing is mid-month, but keep watching on November 30, when Regulus and the moon join Mars and Jupiter throughout the night.

Leonid meteor shower peaks—November 17-18

The Leonid meteor shower runs through November, peaking overnight from November 17 to 18. The spectacle is known for its speedy, luminous sky streaks, which often erupt in color as they hit Earth’s atmosphere. The Leonids are pretty mild—expect around a dozen or fewer meteors per hour under dark skies. The best viewing hits after midnight. Watch from an open viewing area, such as a large field or observation deck. While the meteors appear to originate from the radiant constellation Leo, they can shoot in any direction.

Mercury reaches greatest western elongation—November 20

Mercury will be especially visible late this month as it reaches its greatest western elongation on November 20. Typically, the planet travels close to the sun, where it’s tough to spot. During elongation, it’s farthest from our bright star. Viewing on the mornings just before, during, and after November 20 will be exceptional. Look for Mercury above the southeast horizon before sunrise. It’s near bright Venus, located just above it. Remember to lower any optical aids before the sun actually rises.

(How to Spot the ‘Loneliest Star’ in the Autumn Night Sky.)

Supermoon—November 24

The first supermoon since January 2026 will decorate the night sky on November 24. It’s the full beaver supermoon, a phenomenon that occurs when the moon’s orbit swings closer to Earth than usual. It appears up to 30 percent brighter and 14 percent larger than the moon at its farthest point from Earth, known as apogee.

The best time to watch a supermoon is at moonrise or moonset, which occurs at sunset or sunrise, respectively. This is due to an optical trick known as the moon illusion, which makes it appear larger than normal at the horizon. During golden hour, the oversized orb also picks up an eerie orange glow.

Uranus at opposition—November 25-26

Uranus, the seventh planet from the sun, can be tough to spot given its roughly 1.7-billion-mile distance from us. The view will slightly improve on November 25 as the planet reaches opposition—that’s when it’s opposite the sun and most visible. It’s easiest to admire the ice giant with telescopes or a good pair of binoculars. Look near the Pleiades star cluster.