November 2026 is packed with celestial events worth watching, from brilliant meteors streaking across the sky to a striking encounter between Mars and Jupiter. NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft is also approaching an extraordinary milestone, while a dazzling supermoon will close out the month.
Three meteor showers offer multiple opportunities to catch shooting stars, including occasional fireballs bright enough to stand out dramatically against the night sky. Meanwhile, two of the solar system's most recognizable planets will appear unusually close together just before sunrise.
As if that weren't enough, humanity's most distant spacecraft is reaching a point where radio signals from Earth take an entire day to arrive.
Here's what NASA recommends watching for in November.
November 2026 Skywatching Highlights
- Around November 5: The Southern Taurid meteor shower reaches its peak, with the possibility of exceptionally bright fireballs.
- Around November 12: The Northern Taurids peak, producing approximately five meteors per hour under ideal viewing conditions.
- November 15 and 16: Mars and Jupiter appear just 1.2 degrees apart in the southeastern sky before sunrise.
- November 17: NASA celebrates Voyager 1's historic distance milestone with its Shine Bright for Voyager's Light-Day activation.
- November 17 and 18: The Leonid meteor shower offers its best viewing opportunities before dawn, after the Moon sets, with potentially 15 meteors per hour under ideal conditions.
- November 24: A full supermoon illuminates the evening sky, beginning a sequence of three consecutive supermoon.
November gives skywatchers several chances to see meteors flash across the darkness. The first opportunities come from the Southern and Northern Taurids, two related meteor showers that reach their highest activity levels about a week apart.
The Southern Taurids peak around November 5, followed by the Northern Taurids around November 12. Both showers get their names from the constellation Taurus, where their meteors appear to originate when viewed from Earth.
Neither shower is especially prolific. Even under excellent conditions, each typically produces only about five meteors per hour. However, the Taurids are known for occasionally producing impressive fireballs, exceptionally bright meteors that can make even a relatively quiet night of skywatching memorable.
The Leonids provide another opportunity later in the month. Their best viewing periods are expected during the early morning hours of November 17 and 18, particularly after the Moon has disappeared below the horizon. Under ideal conditions, observers could see approximately 15 meteors per hour, although actual counts will generally be lower.
For the best chance of spotting meteors, travel somewhere away from bright city lights. Allow your eyes roughly 30 minutes to become accustomed to the darkness, then watch a broad section of the sky rather than concentrating on one small area.
Mars and Jupiter Appear Almost Side by Side
Meteor showers aren't the only reason to get outside before dawn. On November 15 and 16, Mars and Jupiter will create an eye-catching pairing in the southeastern sky.
The two planets will appear separated by only about 1.2 degrees, slightly more than the apparent width of two full Moons placed next to each other.
Jupiter will be the brighter of the two, making it relatively easy to identify. Nearby, Mars will stand out with its characteristic reddish appearance.
No telescope or binoculars will be necessary to enjoy the sight. Both planets should be readily visible to the unaided eye under suitable viewing conditions.
Although they will appear remarkably close from Earth's perspective, Mars and Jupiter remain separated by enormous distances in space. Their apparent proximity is simply a result of their positions along our line of sight.
Watching the planets over several consecutive mornings will reveal another interesting feature of their motion. They will gradually appear to move closer together before their positions shift and they begin separating again.
Voyager 1 Reaches an Extraordinary Deep Space Milestone
While November offers plenty to observe in Earth's skies, something equally remarkable is happening far beyond the planets.
NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft is reaching a historic distance of one light-day from Earth, becoming the first human-made object ever to travel that far from our planet.
A light-day is the distance light travels through space in 24 hours. Because radio signals move at the speed of light, a message transmitted from Earth will require an entire day to reach Voyager 1 at that distance.
If the spacecraft sends a response immediately, the return signal will take another 24 hours to arrive. That means even the fastest possible round-trip communication will require approximately 48 hours.
The milestone illustrates just how far Voyager 1 has traveled since leaving Earth and how challenging it has become to communicate with a spacecraft exploring such distant regions of space.
To get a sense of the spacecraft's current direction, look toward the constellation Ophiuchus, also known as the Serpent Bearer. Voyager 1 is traveling through space in that general direction, far beyond anything visible to the unaided eye.
NASA is marking the achievement on November 17 with its Shine Bright for Voyager's Light-Day activation, inviting people to celebrate this extraordinary accomplishment in space exploration.
November's Supermoon Begins a Three-Month Celestial Show
The final major skywatching highlight arrives on November 24, when a full supermoon will rise into the evening sky.
A supermoon occurs when a full Moon coincides with a period when the Moon is relatively close to Earth in its orbit. Because the Moon follows a slightly elliptical path rather than a perfect circle, its distance from our planet changes throughout the month.
When a full Moon occurs near the closer portion of that orbit, it can appear somewhat larger and brighter than an average full Moon. Although the difference is real, it is often subtle enough that casual observers may not immediately notice it.
November's event is particularly noteworthy because it begins a sequence of three consecutive supermoons. Another will follow in December, with a third arriving in January.
For an especially memorable view, NASA recommends looking toward the eastern horizon around sunset on November 24, when the full Moon will be rising.
The Moon may seem unusually enormous when it first appears near the horizon. However, much of that dramatic impression comes from a familiar visual phenomenon called the Moon illusion.
This optical effect makes the Moon appear larger when it is close to the horizon than when it is high overhead, even though its actual apparent size changes very little. The illusion can occur during any full Moon, not just a supermoon.
With three meteor showers, a close planetary pairing, a historic Voyager 1 milestone, and the beginning of a supermoon series, November offers plenty of reasons to look up and explore the night sky.
Story Source:
Materials provided by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/11/261105224547.htm
