TL;DR
Prime made for students and young adults
- Fast, free delivery for dorm and study essentials
- Prime Video and Amazon Music included
- Member-only deals
NASA’s November 2026 skywatching guide lists two Taurid peaks, the Leonids, a close apparent pairing of Mars and Jupiter, Voyager 1’s expected light-day milestone and a Nov. 24 supermoon. The viewing estimates depend on conditions; NASA says most people will see fewer meteors than the ideal rates.
NASA’s November 2026 skywatching guide lays out a month of celestial events, including the Taurid and Leonid meteor showers, Mars and Jupiter appearing close together before sunrise, and a full supermoon on Nov. 24. NASA also says Voyager 1 is expected to reach one light-day from Earth during the month, a milestone that means a light-speed signal would take about 24 hours to travel each way.
The month’s meteor activity starts with the Southern Taurids around Nov. 5 and the Northern Taurids around Nov. 12. NASA estimates each shower may produce about five meteors per hour under ideal conditions. The agency cautions that the rate is modest, although an occasional bright fireball may be visible.
NASA recommends watching the Leonids before dawn on Nov. 17 and 18, after the Moon has set. Under ideal conditions, the shower could yield around 15 meteors per hour, but most observers should expect to see fewer. A dark viewing location, roughly half an hour for eyes to adjust, and a broad view of the sky can improve the chance of spotting meteors.
On the mornings of Nov. 15 and 16, NASA advises looking southeast before sunrise for Mars and Jupiter. The planets should appear about 1.2 degrees apart, slightly more than the apparent width of two full Moons side by side. Jupiter will look brighter, while Mars will have a reddish appearance; both are visible to the unaided eye, according to NASA. The agency says the planets are far apart in space and only appear near one another from Earth.
A Month of Events for Skywatchers
The schedule gives observers several opportunities to look up without specialized equipment. The planets can be seen unaided, and meteor watching requires no telescope; the main practical factors are a clear, dark sky and timing the viewing around dawn or moonset. NASA’s predicted meteor rates are best treated as ideal-condition estimates, not a promise of what any one person will see.
The guide also connects an Earth-based observing calendar with a distant-spacecraft milestone. NASA says Voyager 1 reaching one light-day from Earth marks a distance at which radio communication has a roughly 24-hour one-way travel time. That delay helps illustrate the scale of the spacecraft’s journey and the limits it places on communication.
The Nov. 24 full Moon is described by NASA as a supermoon, the first of three consecutive ones spanning November, December and January. The term refers to a full Moon occurring when the Moon is relatively close to Earth in its slightly oval orbit. NASA notes that the apparent difference in size and brightness from other full Moons may be subtle.
Popular right now
Apple AirPods Max 2 Wireless Over-Ear Headphones – Midnight
Vitamix Propel Series 750 Professional-Grade Blender, 4 Programs, Black
Dyson Ball Animal 3 Upright Vacuum
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
How November’s Sky Events Align
The meteor shower names refer to the parts of the sky from which the meteors appear to originate. NASA links the Taurids to two apparent radiant areas in the constellation Taurus. As with other meteor showers, the particles produce streaks when they enter Earth’s atmosphere; the quoted hourly rates are estimates for ideal viewing conditions.
The Mars-Jupiter pairing is an apparent alignment in Earth’s sky, not a close physical encounter. NASA’s suggested viewing window is before sunrise on Nov. 15 and 16, looking southeast. Watching on multiple mornings may reveal the planets’ apparent movement as they draw closer and then separate in the sky.
NASA places Voyager 1’s light-day milestone on Nov. 17 and invites the public to join a “Shine Bright for Voyager’s Light-Day” activation that day. The agency points readers to nasa.gov/voyager for more information. The November supermoon, meanwhile, rises around sunset on Nov. 24; NASA says it may look especially large near the horizon, an effect commonly called the Moon illusion.
Viewing Conditions and Exact Visibility
NASA’s meteor counts are ideal-condition estimates; the guide does not predict how many meteors a particular location will see. Clouds, light pollution, the Moon’s position and the observer’s local horizon can affect visibility. The agency says most viewers will see fewer Leonids than the stated maximum rate.
The supplied guide identifies Nov. 17 as Voyager 1’s light-day milestone but does not give a precise time for the crossing or further technical details about how the milestone will be confirmed. It also does not specify local viewing times for the planetary pairing beyond the before-sunrise window, or provide a location-specific forecast for the Nov. 24 Moonrise.
The supermoon label does not mean the Moon will look dramatically different to every observer. NASA says the difference can be subtle and that its apparent enlargement near the horizon is the Moon illusion, an effect associated with viewing the Moon close to the horizon.
Dates to Watch Through November
Skywatchers can use NASA’s dates as a month-long checklist: watch for the Southern Taurids around Nov. 5, the Northern Taurids around Nov. 12, and Mars near Jupiter before sunrise on Nov. 15 and 16. The next key window is the Leonids after moonset before dawn on Nov. 17 and 18.
NASA’s public Voyager activation is scheduled for Nov. 17; the agency directs readers to nasa.gov/voyager for details. The month’s listed events conclude with the full supermoon on Nov. 24, which NASA says rises in the east around sunset. Weather and local conditions will determine what observers can see.
Key Questions
When should I watch the Leonid meteor shower in November 2026?
NASA recommends the early morning hours of Nov. 17 and 18, after the Moon has set. The shower could produce around 15 meteors per hour under ideal conditions, though most viewers will see fewer.
Can I see Mars and Jupiter without a telescope?
Yes. NASA says both planets are visible to the unaided eye. Look southeast before sunrise on Nov. 15 and 16; they are expected to appear about 1.2 degrees apart.
What does Voyager 1 reaching one light-day mean?
It means light takes about 24 hours to travel from Earth to Voyager 1. A signal and its reply would take about 48 hours in total, according to NASA’s explanation.
When is November’s supermoon?
NASA lists the full supermoon for Nov. 24, 2026. The agency says to look east around sunset; the apparent size difference may be subtle.
Source: science.nasa.gov
