Sky events in November 2026: Leonids, Taurids and a supermoon

Sky events November 2026 — quick answer

New Moon	9 November, around 07:02 UTC — the darkest skies of the month
Leonids	viewing window around 17–18 November; check local moonset and watch towards dawn
Taurids	Southern 4–5 November, Northern 11–12 November — rare, bright fireballs
Uranus	opposition on 25 November — the best time of year to observe it (binoculars/telescope)
Full Moon	24 November — a supermoon, with the Moon closer to Earth than average
Planets	Venus, Mercury, Mars and Jupiter in the morning sky; Mars and Jupiter close together around mid-month

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Contents

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• Key astronomical dates in November 2026
• Best nights for stargazing in November 2026
• Uranus at opposition on 25 November 2026
• Leonids 2026: peak on the night of 17/18 November
• New Moon on 9 November 2026 and the darkest skies of the month
• Taurids 2026: double peak on 4–5 and 11–12 November
• Morning planets: Venus, Mercury, Mars and Jupiter
• The Moon in November 2026: New Moon, supermoon and the best nights
• Northern lights in November 2026
• Where to go to see November 2026’s sky events
• Rocket launches and space missions in November 2026
• Three ready-made observing plans for November 2026
• What to watch out for in November 2026
• FAQ: sky events November 2026
• Astronomical data sources
• Read next

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November 2026 rests on three clear observing pillars: the New Moon on 9 November opens the darkest window of the month, the Leonids peak on the night of 17/18 November, and a supermoon rises on 24 November. The following day, on 25 November, Uranus reaches opposition — the best moment of the year to observe it.

It is also the height of the autumn meteor season: the Southern Taurids peak on 4–5 November and the Northern Taurids on 11–12 November. In the second half of the month four planets are visible before dawn — Venus, Mercury, Mars and Jupiter — and Mars and Jupiter appear close together around the middle of the month.

Explore the wider sky phenomena hub for observing tools, calendars and explanations of what you can see above you.

For detailed planning, use a local Moon-phase calendar and a meteor-shower calendar alongside the dates below.

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Key astronomical dates in November 2026

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Date	Event	What will we see?
4–5 November	Southern Taurids peak	Rare but often very bright fireballs.
9 November, around 07:02 UTC	New Moon	The darkest skies of the month, good conditions for fainter objects.
11–12 November	Northern Taurids peak	Like the Southern Taurids — low rates, but bright fireballs.
Mid-November	Mars and Jupiter close together	Look for the bright pair before dawn; exact visibility depends on your location.
17–18 November (night)	Leonids peak	Around 10–15 meteors/hour under ideal conditions, not a guaranteed count; observe after local moonset towards dawn.
20–21 November (time-zone dependent)	Mercury at greatest western elongation	Low in the eastern sky before dawn; visibility depends on latitude, horizon and twilight.
24 November	Full Moon (supermoon)	A near-perigee Full Moon, described by NASA as a supermoon.
25 November	Uranus at opposition	The best time of year to observe the planet with binoculars or a telescope.

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Best nights for stargazing in November 2026

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Two windows stand out: 7–11 November, around the New Moon, when the sky is darkest and the most faint objects are visible, and the night of 17/18 November — the Leonids peak. First quarter occurs on 17 November. Check moonset for your exact observing location: the darker interval after moonset and before dawn is usually preferable.

If you simply want dark skies without a specific event, the nights of 8–10 November are also a good choice.

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Uranus at opposition on 25 November 2026

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On 25 November (around 22:41 UTC) Uranus sits exactly opposite the Sun in the sky — this is opposition, the best time of year to observe it. The planet rises at sunset and is visible all night.

At around magnitude 5.6, Uranus is theoretically at the limit of naked-eye visibility under a very dark sky, but in practice you need binoculars or a small telescope to pick it out as a distinct point of light — you won’t see the planet’s disc with the naked eye.

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Leonids 2026: peak on the night of 17/18 November

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The Leonids are a meteor shower linked to comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, with the radiant in the constellation Leo. In 2026, plan observations around 17–18 November. An annual peak date is not a guarantee of the best local hour; allow for your time zone, the radiant’s height and moonlight.

A rate of around 10–15 meteors per hour refers to favourable, dark-sky conditions, not a promise for every observer. First quarter is on 17 November at around 11:48 UTC. The Leonid radiant climbs through the night: plan for the interval after local moonset and before dawn, rather than a universal 01:00–05:00 window.

For the radiant, activity window and a practical observing plan, read our Leonids guide.

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New Moon on 9 November 2026 and the darkest skies of the month

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New Moon falls on 9 November 2026, at around 07:02 UTC. The surrounding nights are useful for faint objects — nebulae and star clusters — without interfering moonlight. Check local twilight, weather and moonrise before observing.

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Taurids 2026: double peak on 4–5 and 11–12 November

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November is the height of Taurid activity. The Southern Taurids peak on 4–5 November and the Northern Taurids on 11–12 November. Rates are low (a few meteors per hour), but the shower is known for rare, very bright fireballs.

Compare both branches and their observing conditions in our Taurids guide.

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Morning planets: Venus, Mercury, Mars and Jupiter

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November mornings offer Venus, Mercury, Mars and Jupiter. Venus returns to the morning sky after its late-October inferior conjunction. Mercury reaches greatest western elongation around 20–21 November, depending on the local time zone; look low in the east before sunrise with an unobstructed horizon. This is not equally favourable at every latitude. Check an astronomy app for local rise times and twilight.

Optical safety: never point binoculars or a telescope at the Sun. Finish optical observations of Mercury before sunrise.

Mars and Jupiter appear close together around mid-November. The pair is visible with the naked eye, but its height and direction before dawn depend on your location. Saturn is an evening target; check local visibility rather than assuming the same setting time worldwide.

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The Moon in November 2026: New Moon, supermoon and the best nights

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November’s lunar cycle includes New Moon on 9 November at 07:02 UTC, first quarter on 17 November at 11:48 UTC, and Full Moon on 24 November at 14:54 UTC. Convert UTC to your local time before planning. NASA lists the 24 November Full Moon as a supermoon. The term describes a Full Moon near perigee, not a separate lunar phase; definitions vary. Its apparent size is slightly larger than that of a more distant Full Moon.

Use the Moon-phase calendar to plan dark-sky nights and lunar photography.

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Northern lights in November 2026

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November’s long nights provide a useful aurora-observing season at northern latitudes, but a calendar cannot predict a geomagnetic storm weeks ahead. In the UK, visibility depends on your latitude, current geomagnetic activity, cloud and light pollution. The darker skies around New Moon (7–11 November) can help with fainter displays; consult current forecasts shortly before observing.

Before an aurora trip, check the Northern Lights Radar for current conditions and location guidance.

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Where to go to see November 2026’s sky events

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November in the UK and much of northern Europe is often cloudy, so if you want a better chance of clear skies, a trip is worth considering.

UK International Dark Sky Places — such as Galloway Forest Park in Scotland, Northumberland International Dark Sky Park and Exmoor. Minimal light pollution and good views of the Milky Way and meteors on a clear night, without leaving the country.

Canary Islands (Tenerife, La Palma) — Teide and Roque de los Muchachos are well-known astronomy locations, but neither guarantees a clear November night. Check weather, road access, altitude conditions and any access restrictions before travelling.

When planning a trip around a specific event, check the local cloud forecast 2–3 days before the peak, not just the calendar date.

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Rocket launches and space missions in November 2026

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Rocket launch schedules change often and are frequently moved shortly before launch, so we don’t give a fixed list for November here — check the current, continuously updated launch calendar instead.

Check the live rocket-launch calendar for updated windows and streams.

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Three ready-made observing plans for November 2026

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One night, no equipment: plan around 17–18 November, find a dark spot with a broad view of the sky, allow at least 20 minutes for your eyes to adapt and watch with the naked eye after local moonset. You do not need to stare directly at the Leonid radiant.

With binoculars or a small telescope: on 25 November, around opposition, point your instrument at Uranus — you will need a star chart or an astronomy app to locate it among the stars.

Photographing the supermoon: on 24 November, use a tripod and a telephoto lens, and check the local moonrise and sunset times before choosing a foreground. The low Moon can look larger because of the Moon illusion and landscape context; being close to the horizon does not physically enlarge it.

Prepare your equipment with our night-sky photography guide.

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What to watch out for in November 2026

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The Leonid observing window around 17–18 November coincides with first quarter: moonlight can hide fainter meteors, so check local moonset. A date in UTC can fall on another local date, notably for Mercury’s elongation around 20–21 November. Cloud, haze, horizon obstructions and twilight can matter more than a nominal peak time; check your local sunrise and forecast on the day.

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FAQ: sky events November 2026

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Astronomical data sources

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• NASA — Most Notable 2026 Astronomical Events
• NAOJ — Calendar of Astronomical Phenomena (2026; Universal Time)
• IMO — Meteor Shower Calendar 2026
• EarthSky — Leonid Meteor Shower 2026
• Sea and Sky — Astronomy Calendar 2026
• Star Walk — Astronomy Calendar 2026
• TheSkyLive — New Moon November 2026
• In-The-Sky.org — Uranus at opposition

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Read next: the Moon, northern lights and other months

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Continue with the previous monthly calendar or learn what makes a supermoon. The aurora radar is linked in the northern-lights section above.

• Sky events in October 2026
• Supermoon explained

Use the hub and detailed guides above to continue planning your observing session.