November 2026 Night Sky Guide: Taurid Fireballs, the Leonids and a Beaver Supermoon

November trades warm evenings for long, dark nights, and that's good news for anyone who looks up. This month brings two showers known for slow, bright fireballs, the Leonids, a close pairing of Mars and Jupiter, and a full Beaver Moon that's also a supermoon. Here's what to look for and when. Times below are US Central.

November 4–5: the Southern Taurids

The Taurids aren't a big shower. Expect about 5 meteors an hour at best. What makes them worth a look is their fireballs: Taurid meteors are slow and can be unusually bright. The Southern branch peaks the night of November 4–5, and a thin waning crescent Moon won't get in the way much. Look anywhere overhead in the hours around midnight.

November 9: new moon, darkest skies of the month

New moon arrives early on November 9, so the nights on either side of it are your best chance at faint targets. Try the Andromeda Galaxy high overhead in the evening, and watch Orion climb over the eastern horizon later at night. The Orion Nebula, the fuzzy patch in the hunter's "sword" below his belt, looks lovely in binoculars by late evening.

November 11–12: the Northern Taurids

The second Taurid branch peaks the night of November 11–12, with the sky almost completely dark. Rates are again around 5 an hour, but a single slow fireball can make the whole night. Get away from streetlights, lie back and be patient.

November 15–16: Mars meets Jupiter

After midnight on November 15–16, Mars and Jupiter pass about a degree apart, roughly the width of your pinky held at arm's length. Look east to southeast in the small hours. Jupiter is the brilliant one; Mars is fainter and reddish. They sit near the "Sickle" of Leo, a backward-question-mark of stars that's also where the Leonids appear to come from.

November 17–18: the Leonids

The Leonids are debris from Comet Tempel-Tuttle and some of the fastest meteors of the year. They peak overnight November 17–18. The first-quarter Moon falls the same day, but it sets around midnight, leaving the best part of the night, from midnight until the first light of dawn, dark. Expect around 10–15 meteors an hour under a dark sky. You don't need to stare at Leo. Meteors can appear anywhere, so take in as much sky as you can.

November 24: the Beaver Supermoon

November's full moon, the Beaver Moon, is full on the morning of November 24, so the nights of November 23 and 24 will both look full. It's also a supermoon, a little bigger and brighter than an average full moon because it happens near the Moon's closest approach to Earth. Catch it rising in the east around sunset.

November 25: Uranus at opposition

Uranus is at its closest and brightest for the year on November 25, in Taurus not far from the Pleiades. It's technically visible to the naked eye from a very dark site, but with the bright Moon nearby this week, binoculars and a star chart are the way to go. Look for a tiny, steady, slightly greenish point.

Also this month

• Saturn is still well placed in the south after dark, a month after its October opposition.
• Venus returns to the morning sky. On November 7, look low in the east-southeast before dawn for Venus, a thin crescent Moon and the star Spica close together. Venus gets steadily brighter through the month.
• Mercury gets into its best morning showing of the year in the second half of the month. Look very low in the east-southeast before sunrise.

Quick tips for a better night out

• Check the forecast for clear skies and get away from city lights.
• Give your eyes 20 minutes to adjust, and use your phone's red-light or night mode.
• For meteors, a reclining chair beats a telescope. No gear needed.
• November nights are cold. Dress in layers and bring a hot drink.

Speaking of staying warm: our Space Station Hoodie was made for long nights under the Leonids. If you're shopping for someone who loves the sky, browse our gifts for stargazers and take 10% off your first order with code FIRSTLIGHT.

Clear skies!