# Night Sky November 2026: What to See in the US and Canada

Night sky November 2026: Leonids peak Nov 17 to 18, new moon Nov 9, Beaver Moon Nov 24, Venus back at dawn, and Mars passing Jupiter in Leo.

November 2026 gives the US and Canada a Monday-morning new moon, a Leonid shower with a half moon that gets out of the way, the return of Venus to the dawn sky, and a Beaver Moon on a Tuesday morning. The headline dates: the Leonids peak the night of November 17 into November 18, the new moon arrives November 9, Mars slides past Jupiter around November 15 to 16, and the full Beaver Moon follows on November 24, [per the US Naval Observatory](https://aa.usno.navy.mil/calculated/moon/phases?date=2026-11-01&nump=8&format=p). Below: every moon phase (in Eastern time), the planets, the meteor showers, the best close pairings, what is high in the evening, and the one weekend to protect on your calendar for a dark-sky trip.

## November 2026 Moon Phases

Daylight Saving Time ends in the US and Canada at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 1, 2026, so every time below is Eastern Standard Time (EST). The phase moments come from the [US Naval Observatory](https://aa.usno.navy.mil/calculated/moon/phases?date=2026-11-01&nump=8&format=p), which publishes them in Universal Time; we subtracted five hours. Central is one hour earlier, Mountain two, Pacific three.

| Phase | Date | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Third (Last) Quarter | November 1, 2026 | 3:28 p.m. |
| New Moon | November 9, 2026 | 2:02 a.m. |
| First Quarter | November 17, 2026 | 6:48 a.m. |
| Full Moon (Beaver Moon) | November 24, 2026 | 9:53 a.m. |

The [Farmers' Almanac](https://www.farmersalmanac.com/full-moon-dates-and-times) lists the November full moon as the **Beaver Moon**, a name tied to beavers getting ready for winter as northern waterways begin to freeze. Because the full moon peaks in the morning on Tuesday, November 24, the Moon will look essentially full both on Monday evening and on Tuesday evening. For tonight's illumination or moonrise and moonset in your city, use our [/moon](/moon) tool, and see [/moon-phases](/moon-phases) for how the full moon names work. The site's own event page for the [November 24 Beaver Moon](/events/full-moon-2026-11-24) has the date at a glance.

## Planets Visible in November 2026

**Venus** is back. After disappearing into the Sun's glare in late October, it returns as a brilliant morning object low in the east before dawn, visible from about November 3 through the end of the year, [Space.com's 2026 planet guide](https://www.space.com/stargazing/what-to-expect-from-the-planets-in-2026-key-dates-and-sky-events) notes. It reaches its greatest brilliancy in the morning sky on November 29, and through most of November a small telescope or steady binoculars show it as a crescent. [EarthSky](https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/visible-planets-tonight-mars-jupiter-venus-saturn/) says it sits near the star Spica in the first half of the month.

**Mercury** gets its best morning showing of the fall. It reaches greatest western elongation on November 21, [per EarthSky](https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/visible-planets-tonight-mars-jupiter-venus-saturn/), and Space.com puts its best morning window between about November 13 and December 4. Look low in the east before sunrise, roughly midway between Venus and the horizon, with a clear eastern horizon.

**Jupiter and Mars** share the late-night and pre-dawn sky in Leo. Jupiter rises in the east around the middle of the night by late November, with Mars rising after it, EarthSky explains. They are at their closest around November 15 to 16: Mars passes about 1.2 degrees from Jupiter, [Space.com reports](https://www.space.com/stargazing/what-to-expect-from-the-planets-in-2026-key-dates-and-sky-events), which puts the two in the same binocular field. On November 26, Mars passes 1.7 degrees above the star Regulus in Leo, a pairing Space.com calls a striking color contrast.

**Saturn** is the evening planet. It reached opposition on October 4 and stays in the evening sky through the end of December, per Space.com. It stands high in the south around 9 p.m. in mid-month, and a small telescope shows its rings. It sets after midnight and a little earlier each week.

**Uranus** reaches opposition on November 25, [per Space.com](https://www.space.com/stargazing/what-to-expect-from-the-planets-in-2026-key-dates-and-sky-events). It sits in Taurus near the Pleiades, so it is up all night and findable in binoculars from a dark site if you have a finder chart. **Neptune** is an evening target in Pisces that needs a telescope.

## Taurids and Leonids: The November Meteor Showers

November is a modest month for meteors, but it has the fireball shower.

The **Taurids** come in two streams. According to the [American Meteor Society's 2026 calendar](https://www.amsmeteors.org/calendar/), the South Taurid fireball component peaks around November 5 under a waning crescent Moon that is about 25 percent lit, and the North Taurids peak around November 11 to 12 under a nearly new moon about 4 percent lit. Rates are low, around 5 per hour at best, [according to Sterngucker's 2026 sky guide](https://www.sterngucker.de/en/astronomical-events/night-sky-november/), but the Taurids are known for the occasional slow, bright fireball. Evening hours are a good time to watch, since the radiant in Taurus is up early.

The **Leonids** peak at a predicted 0 UTC on November 18, which is 7 p.m. EST on November 17, [EarthSky says](https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-leonid-meteor-shower/). That is daylight for North America, so the best viewing is late on the night of November 17 until dawn on November 18. Expect about 10 to 15 meteors per hour under a dark sky; this is not a storm year. The first quarter Moon arrives on the 17th and, per EarthSky, sets around the time the radiant rises, so it should not interfere with the after-midnight hours. The radiant sits in Leo near Algieba, close to Jupiter and Mars, but the meteors appear in all parts of the sky, so you do not need to find it. The American Meteor Society lists a higher Moon illumination for the night of November 16 to 17, so if clouds hit on the 17th, the night before is a fair backup. Our [Leonid Meteor Shower 2026](/leonid-meteor-shower-2026) page has the full peak-night breakdown and viewing map, and the site's [Leonids 2026 event page](/events/meteor-leonids-2026) has the date and rates at a glance. All showers are collected at [/meteor-showers](/meteor-showers).

## Notable Conjunctions and Close Approaches

- **November 7 (before sunrise):** A thin crescent Moon, Venus and Spica fit within about 2.5 degrees low in the east-southeast, [per Space.com](https://www.space.com/stargazing/what-to-expect-from-the-planets-in-2026-key-dates-and-sky-events).
- **November 15 to 16:** Mars passes about 1.2 degrees from Jupiter in Leo, per [EarthSky](https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/visible-planets-tonight-mars-jupiter-venus-saturn/) and Space.com.
- **November 21:** Mercury at greatest western elongation, its best morning view of the month, per EarthSky.
- **November 24:** The full Beaver Moon sits a few degrees from the Pleiades, [Sterngucker notes](https://www.sterngucker.de/en/astronomical-events/night-sky-november/), so the cluster will be washed out by moonlight.
- **November 25:** Uranus at opposition, per Space.com.
- **November 26:** Mars passes 1.7 degrees above Regulus, per Space.com.
- **November 29:** Venus at greatest brilliancy in the morning sky, per Space.com.

## Constellations High in November Evenings

By 9 to 10 p.m. local time, the autumn sky is at its most comfortable. Cassiopeia's "W" is nearly overhead, with Perseus, Andromeda and the Great Square of Pegasus nearby, while the Summer Triangle of Vega and Deneb sinks in the west, [Sterngucker's guide](https://www.sterngucker.de/en/astronomical-events/night-sky-november/) describes. In the east, Taurus with the Pleiades and Aldebaran is already well up, Orion's Belt is rising, and Auriga's Capella shines in the east. Leo does not clear the horizon until after midnight. November is also a good month for the Andromeda Galaxy from a dark site, using Cassiopeia as a pointer, [as EarthSky explains](https://earthsky.org/tonight/cassiopeia-the-queen-also-points-to-andromeda-galaxy/). Our [/constellations](/constellations) guide walks through each season's key patterns, and [/stargazing-for-beginners](/stargazing-for-beginners) is the place to start if this is your first month out.

## Aurora Outlook for November 2026

Solar Cycle 25 was forecast to peak around July 2025, give or take eight months, [according to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center](https://www.spaceweather.gov/news/solar-cycle-25-forecast-update), so we are on the far side of the predicted maximum. Geomagnetic storms still happen, though, and long November nights give northern US states and Canada more hours of darkness in which to catch one. No one can name a storm date a month ahead. Check the [SWPC aurora dashboard](https://www.spaceweather.gov/communities/aurora-dashboard-experimental), which shows tonight's and tomorrow's forecast and the Kp index, in the days before you head out, and read our [/northern-lights](/northern-lights) guide for where to look.

## Best New-Moon Weekend for a Dark-Sky Trip

The new moon lands at 2:02 a.m. Eastern on Monday, November 9, so the best weekend is **Friday to Sunday, November 6 to 8**. By then the Moon is a very thin waning crescent that rises shortly before dawn, leaving the whole evening and most of the night dark, per the [US Naval Observatory phase data](https://aa.usno.navy.mil/calculated/moon/phases?date=2026-11-01&nump=8&format=p). That weekend also falls between the peak of the South Taurids (about November 5) and the North Taurids (November 11 to 12), per the [American Meteor Society](https://www.amsmeteors.org/calendar/), so a patient observer may see a few slow fireballs. On Saturday morning, November 7, get up before sunrise for the Moon, Venus and Spica grouping in the east-southeast. Use our [/plan](/plan) tool to line up this weekend with other events near you, or browse certified sites on [/dark-sky-parks](/dark-sky-parks). If you miss it, the Leonids on the night of November 17 are a decent second chance with a half moon that sets early.

## Week-by-Week: November 2026 at a Glance

| Week | Dates | What's Happening |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nov 1 to 7 | DST ends Nov 1; Third Quarter Moon (Nov 1); South Taurid fireballs (about Nov 5); Moon, Venus and Spica before sunrise (Nov 7) |
| 2 | Nov 8 to 14 | New Moon (Nov 9), best dark-sky window of the month; North Taurids (Nov 11 to 12); Mercury climbing into the morning sky |
| 3 | Nov 15 to 21 | Mars passes Jupiter (Nov 15 to 16); First Quarter Moon and Leonids (Nov 17 to 18); Mercury at greatest western elongation (Nov 21) |
| 4 | Nov 22 to 28 | Full Beaver Moon (Nov 24); Uranus at opposition (Nov 25); Mars near Regulus (Nov 26) |
| 5 | Nov 29 to 30 | Venus at greatest brilliancy (Nov 29); Moon waning toward Third Quarter |

Looking ahead: December brings the Geminids, the solstice and a supermoon Cold Moon, all laid out in our [Night Sky December 2026](/night-sky-december-2026) guide.

## Quick Answers

**What is the best night to stargaze in November 2026?**
The new moon arrives at 2:02 a.m. Eastern on Monday, November 9, so the weekend of November 6 to 8 has the darkest skies of the month, with only a thin crescent rising before dawn, per the [US Naval Observatory](https://aa.usno.navy.mil/calculated/moon/phases?date=2026-11-01&nump=8&format=p). Plan a trip with our [/plan](/plan) tool.

**When do the Leonids peak in 2026?**
The Leonids peak at about 7 p.m. EST on November 17, which is daylight in North America, so watch late on the night of November 17 until dawn on November 18. Expect roughly 10 to 15 meteors per hour, and the first quarter Moon should not interfere after midnight, [according to EarthSky](https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-leonid-meteor-shower/). See our [Leonid Meteor Shower 2026](/leonid-meteor-shower-2026) page.

**When is the full moon in November 2026?**
The full Beaver Moon occurs at 9:53 a.m. EST on Tuesday, November 24, 2026, per the [Farmers' Almanac](https://www.farmersalmanac.com/full-moon-dates-and-times) and the US Naval Observatory. It looks full on the evenings of November 23 and 24. See [/moon-phases](/moon-phases).

**Can I see Venus in November 2026?**
Yes, in the morning. Venus returns low in the east before dawn from about November 3 and reaches its greatest brilliancy on November 29, per [Space.com](https://www.space.com/stargazing/what-to-expect-from-the-planets-in-2026-key-dates-and-sky-events). It is not an evening object this month.

**Which planets are visible in November 2026?**
Saturn is up in the evening, Jupiter and Mars rise late at night and share the pre-dawn sky in Leo, Venus and Mercury appear low in the east before sunrise, and Uranus is at opposition on November 25, per [Space.com](https://www.space.com/stargazing/what-to-expect-from-the-planets-in-2026-key-dates-and-sky-events) and [EarthSky](https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/visible-planets-tonight-mars-jupiter-venus-saturn/).

**Will there be aurora in November 2026?**
Possibly, on any night a geomagnetic storm arrives. Solar Cycle 25 was forecast to peak around mid 2025, per [NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center](https://www.spaceweather.gov/news/solar-cycle-25-forecast-update), so check the [aurora dashboard](https://www.spaceweather.gov/communities/aurora-dashboard-experimental) a few days ahead rather than planning around a specific date.


## Sources
- [Moon Phases and Percentages of the Moon's Illumination - US Naval Observatory](https://aa.usno.navy.mil/calculated/moon/phases?date=2026-11-01&nump=8&format=p)
- [Full Moon Dates and Times - Farmers' Almanac](https://www.farmersalmanac.com/full-moon-dates-and-times)
- [What to Expect From the Planets in 2026 - Space.com](https://www.space.com/stargazing/what-to-expect-from-the-planets-in-2026-key-dates-and-sky-events)
- [Visible Planets Tonight: See Mars, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn - EarthSky](https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/visible-planets-tonight-mars-jupiter-venus-saturn/)
- [Leonid Meteor Shower: All You Need to Know - EarthSky](https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-leonid-meteor-shower/)
- [Find the Andromeda Galaxy Using Cassiopeia - EarthSky](https://earthsky.org/tonight/cassiopeia-the-queen-also-points-to-andromeda-galaxy/)
- [Meteor Shower Calendar - American Meteor Society](https://www.amsmeteors.org/calendar/)
- [Night Sky in November 2026 - Sterngucker](https://www.sterngucker.de/en/astronomical-events/night-sky-november/)
- [Solar Cycle 25 Forecast Update - NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center](https://www.spaceweather.gov/news/solar-cycle-25-forecast-update)
- [Aurora Dashboard - NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center](https://www.spaceweather.gov/communities/aurora-dashboard-experimental)

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Canonical: https://darkskiesdirectory.com/night-sky-november-2026
Updated: 2026-10-29