Meteor Showers

November 2026 is bringing several exciting opportunities for skywatchers, with meteor showers, a close apparent pairing of Mars and Jupiter, and a bright supermoon among the month's highlights. NASA's latest skywatching guide also points to a historic milestone for Voyager 1, the spacecraft that has travelled farther from Earth than any other human-made object.

The month offers something for both experienced astronomy enthusiasts and beginners. Most of the featured events can be observed without a telescope, provided the weather cooperates and the viewing location has a reasonably clear sky.

From the Taurid meteor showers in early November to the Leonids later in the month, observers will have several opportunities to watch natural objects streak across the night sky. The planetary pairing in mid-November and the full supermoon on November 24 provide additional reasons to look up.

Taurid Meteor Showers Bring Opportunities to Spot Fireballs

The first major skywatching attraction is the Southern Taurid meteor shower, which is expected to reach its peak around November 5.

The Taurids are known for producing occasional bright meteors, sometimes called fireballs. Although the shower generally produces only a small number of meteors per hour, particularly bright events can make it worth watching.

The Northern Taurid meteor shower follows, reaching its expected peak around November 12. Under ideal viewing conditions, observers may see approximately five meteors per hour.

Meteor showers occur when Earth passes through streams of dust and small particles left behind by comets or asteroids. When these particles enter Earth's atmosphere at high speed, friction and compression heat the surrounding gases, creating the bright streaks commonly called shooting stars.

The name Taurids comes from the constellation Taurus, the region of the sky from which the meteors appear to originate. This apparent point is known as the radiant. The meteors themselves can appear across a much wider area of the sky.

For the best experience, observers should find a dark location away from streetlights and brightly illuminated buildings. Allowing the eyes approximately 30 minutes to adjust to darkness can improve visibility.

A telescope is generally unnecessary for meteor watching because meteors can appear across a broad section of the sky.

Mars and Jupiter Will Appear Close Together

Another highlight arrives on November 15 and 16, when Mars and Jupiter will appear close together in the early-morning sky.

NASA's guide indicates that the two planets will appear approximately 1.2 degrees apart. From Earth, this will create an attractive pairing, with bright Jupiter appearing near the reddish planet Mars.

The best opportunity to observe the planets will be before sunrise. Observers should look towards the southeastern sky, provided the horizon is not blocked by buildings, trees or other obstacles.

Both planets can be seen without specialised equipment under suitable conditions. Binoculars may help observers appreciate the surrounding star field, while a telescope can reveal additional planetary details.

Despite their apparent closeness, Mars and Jupiter will remain separated by enormous distances in space. Their alignment is a matter of perspective: from Earth, the planets appear near one another because of their positions along our line of sight.

Watching them over several mornings can also reveal how their apparent positions change against the background stars.

Voyager 1 Approaches an Extraordinary Distance Milestone

One of November's most significant space-related events concerns NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft.

Launched in 1977, Voyager 1 was designed to explore the outer planets before continuing its journey into interstellar space. Decades later, the spacecraft remains an extraordinary example of long-duration space exploration.

According to NASA's November skywatching guide, Voyager 1 is expected to reach the milestone of one light-day from Earth during the month. A light-day is the distance light travels in 24 hours, approximately 25.9 billion kilometres.

At that distance, a radio signal travelling at the speed of light would take roughly 24 hours to travel one way between Earth and the spacecraft. Sending a command and receiving a response would therefore involve a communication delay of approximately two days, excluding other operational delays.

The milestone illustrates the enormous distances involved in exploring beyond our solar system.

NASA has also highlighted November 17 for its planned “Shine Bright for Voyager's Light-Day” activity, inviting people to take part in recognising the spacecraft's remarkable journey.

Voyager 1 cannot be observed with the naked eye. Its importance lies in its scientific achievements and the information it continues to provide about the environment beyond the Sun's immediate influence.

November 24 Brings a Full Supermoon

The month's final major skywatching attraction arrives on November 24, when the full Moon will appear as a supermoon.

The term supermoon is commonly used when a full Moon occurs near the closest part of its orbit around Earth. Because the Moon follows a slightly elliptical orbit, its distance from our planet changes throughout the month.

When a full Moon occurs relatively close to Earth, it can appear somewhat larger and brighter than a typical full Moon. However, the difference may be subtle to casual observers.

For the best view, look towards the eastern horizon around sunset as the Moon rises. Buildings and other obstacles can affect visibility, so a location with an open horizon is preferable.

The Moon may appear especially large when it is near the horizon. This familiar effect is commonly known as the Moon illusion, which relates to how the human brain perceives the Moon against objects on the landscape rather than a substantial increase in its actual size.

NASA's guide describes November's full supermoon as the beginning of three consecutive supermoons spanning November, December and January.

Unlike meteor showers, the full Moon is easy to observe from many locations, although clouds, haze and local light conditions can affect the experience.

How to Make the Most of November's Night Sky

Skywatching does not require expensive equipment. A clear view of the sky, patience and a little planning can make the experience rewarding.

For meteor showers, choose a dark location and give your eyes time to adjust. For the Mars-Jupiter pairing, check the southeastern horizon before sunrise. For the supermoon, an unobstructed eastern horizon around sunset offers a good viewing opportunity.

Local weather and atmospheric conditions will influence what people can see. Light pollution can reduce the visibility of fainter meteors, while clouds may prevent observations altogether.

The events will also appear differently depending on the observer's location and local sunrise and sunset times.

November's skywatching calendar offers a reminder that space exploration is not limited to rockets and distant spacecraft. The night sky provides opportunities to observe planetary motion, meteor activity and the changing appearance of the Moon directly from Earth.

With several events spread across the month, November 2026 promises an engaging combination of astronomy, natural spectacle and a milestone in humanity's continuing journey into space.