What’s Up in November 2026?
What’s Up in November 2026? There is plenty to look forward to in the night sky this month, with two meteor showers, an interesting gathering of planets, and Uranus reaching opposition.
November also brings longer nights for observers across the United Kingdom. Although the weather can be unpredictable, clear evenings offer excellent opportunities to explore the autumn and winter skies.
Here are some of the astronomical highlights to look out for during November 2026.
All times are given in Universal Time (UT), which is the same as GMT throughout November. Exact observing conditions and visibility will depend on your location, the weather and the local horizon.
2 November – The Moon, Mars, Jupiter and Regulus
The beginning of November offers an attractive early-morning arrangement involving the waning Moon, Mars, Jupiter and Regulus.
Regulus is the brightest star in Leo the Lion and provides a useful reference point when identifying objects in this part of the sky.
Look towards the eastern and southeastern sky before sunrise. The Moon’s position changes noticeably from one morning to the next, making this an interesting opportunity for photography.
A camera mounted on a tripod should be sufficient to record the brighter objects, although a star-tracking mount can be useful for longer exposures.
12 November – Northern Taurid Meteor Shower
The Northern Taurid meteor shower reaches its maximum around 12 November.
The Taurids are not usually a particularly active shower, with typical rates of only a few meteors per hour. However, they are known for occasionally producing unusually bright meteors, sometimes called fireballs.
The meteors appear to originate from the constellation Taurus, although they can be seen travelling across other parts of the sky.
The Moon should cause relatively little interference this year, making this a worthwhile shower to watch from a dark location.
No telescope is required. Simply find a comfortable position with a wide view of the sky and allow your eyes time to adjust to the darkness.
13 November – Photographing Minor Planets Pallas and Vesta
November provides an opportunity to try something a little different: photographing minor planets.
Pallas and Vesta are two of the larger asteroids in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
Unlike stars, which maintain almost unchanging positions relative to one another over short periods, asteroids gradually move against the background star field.
This makes them interesting targets for observers with a telescope and camera.
How to Identify an Asteroid in Your Photographs
The most useful method is to photograph the same area of sky on several nights.
Begin by consulting an up-to-date planetarium program or detailed star chart to locate the asteroid’s predicted position.
Take an image and record the date and time. Repeat the photograph on the following night, using approximately the same framing and exposure settings.
When you compare the images, most stars will remain in the same positions. The asteroid should appear to have shifted slightly against the star field.
This is a rewarding way of seeing orbital motion for yourself.
Observing tip: Confirm the positions and brightness of Pallas and Vesta in your planetarium software before attempting the session.
15 November – Orion Returns to the Early-Morning Sky
One of the most recognisable constellations in the night sky is becoming increasingly prominent.
Around 02:00 UT, Orion can be seen high towards the south from the United Kingdom.
Its three distinctive Belt stars make the constellation easy to identify. Below the Belt lies the famous Orion Nebula, also known as M42.
Even modest binoculars can reveal the nebula as a faint, misty patch under reasonably dark skies.
Mars and Jupiter also provide bright planetary targets in the eastern sky, while Saturn is moving towards the western horizon.
16 November – Mars and Jupiter Together
Mars and Jupiter make an impressive pairing in the morning sky.
Although the planets are separated by enormous distances in space, they appear close together from our viewpoint on Earth.
This apparent closeness is known as a conjunction.
Jupiter is much brighter than Mars, making the pair relatively easy to identify when the sky is clear.
Binoculars can provide an attractive view, while a camera with a telephoto lens offers an opportunity to photograph both planets in the same area of sky.
17 November – Leonid Meteor Shower
The Leonid meteor shower reaches its maximum around 17 November, with favourable viewing continuing into the early hours of 18 November.
The Leonids are associated with debris left behind by Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle.
As Earth passes through this debris, tiny particles enter our atmosphere at tremendous speeds and produce the streaks of light we call meteors.
The Leonids are particularly fast meteors, and some can leave brief glowing trails.
Under ideal conditions, observers may see around 10 to 15 meteors per hour, although actual numbers can be considerably lower.
The Moon reaches first quarter on 17 November, but it should set before the best early-morning observing period.
For the best chance of seeing meteors, choose a dark location away from street lighting and allow at least 20 minutes for your eyes to adapt.
20 November – Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation
Mercury reaches greatest western elongation on 20 November.
This means that, as viewed from Earth, Mercury appears at its greatest angular separation west of the Sun during this particular morning apparition.
Mercury can be difficult to observe because it never appears very far from the Sun in our sky.
For UK observers, look low towards the southeastern horizon before sunrise, provided you have a clear and unobstructed view.
A good starting point is around 30 to 60 minutes before sunrise, although visibility depends on your location and atmospheric conditions.
Important safety note: Never sweep the sky with binoculars or a telescope when the Sun is above the horizon. Accidental observation of the Sun without proper solar protection can cause permanent eye damage.
25 November – Uranus at Opposition
Uranus reaches opposition on 25 November 2026.
Opposition occurs when a planet lies approximately opposite the Sun in Earth’s sky.
For an outer planet such as Uranus, this is generally one of the best times of year to observe it.
Uranus will be located in the constellation Taurus, in the general region of the Pleiades star cluster.
At approximately magnitude 5.6, the planet is faint but can be located with binoculars under suitable conditions.
A telescope may reveal its tiny, pale blue-green disc, although it will not show the detailed cloud features familiar from photographs taken by spacecraft.
A planetarium application or detailed finder chart will be particularly useful when locating Uranus.
For more information, see our November feature on Uranus: The Ice Giant on Its Side .
28–29 November – The Moon and the Beehive Cluster
Late on 28 November and into 29 November, the waning gibbous Moon passes close to the Beehive Cluster, also known as Messier 44 or M44.
The Beehive is an open star cluster in the constellation Cancer the Crab.
Under dark skies, it can be glimpsed as a faint, misty patch with the unaided eye. Binoculars reveal many of its individual stars.
The Moon’s close approach creates an interesting photographic opportunity, although moonlight will make the fainter cluster members harder to see.
The exact appearance and possibility of individual stellar occultations depend on your observing location.
Check a local sky chart for the best time to observe.
30 November – The Moon, Jupiter, Mars and Regulus
November ends with another attractive arrangement in the early-morning sky.
The waning Moon appears in the same broad region of the sky as Jupiter, Mars and the bright star Regulus.
The Moon is approaching its last-quarter phase, so a substantial part of its visible disc remains illuminated.
For photographers, this is an opportunity to capture several familiar celestial objects in a single composition, depending on the lens and field of view.
A tripod-mounted camera is a good starting point. Try several exposure lengths to balance the brightness of the Moon with the surrounding stars and planets.
November Moon Phases
The main lunar phases for November 2026 are:
- 1 November: Last Quarter
- 9 November: New Moon
- 17 November: First Quarter
- 24 November: Full Moon
The nights around New Moon are especially suitable for observing faint objects such as galaxies, nebulae and star clusters.
Brighter moonlit nights, on the other hand, provide excellent opportunities for studying lunar craters, mountain ranges and other surface features.
Final Thoughts
November offers a varied selection of observing opportunities, from meteor showers that require no equipment to planetary and asteroid targets for those with telescopes and cameras.
As always, you do not need to observe every event to enjoy the night sky.
Sometimes the most rewarding session is simply spending half an hour outdoors, identifying a few constellations and seeing what catches your attention.
Clear skies, and enjoy your November observing!
Sources and Acknowledgements
The astronomical events and observing information featured in this article have been compiled with reference to BBC Sky at Night Magazine and other astronomical sources, including published observing calendars. Additional explanations and observing advice have been prepared for readers of Exploring The Night Sky.