November offers a notable opportunity for skywatchers to observe multiple planets and celestial events before dawn, with four of the five naked-eye planets—Venus, Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter—visible in the morning sky, while Saturn remains more prominent in the western evening sky. Mars and Jupiter, in particular, present a striking conjunction this month.
At the beginning of November, observers looking south before sunrise can find Mars and Jupiter aligned with Regulus, the bright star anchoring the sickle-shaped asterism in the constellation Leo. The waning moon also joins this lineup on the mornings of November 1 and 2, assisting in locating these planetary bodies. By mid-November, Mars moves closer to Jupiter, reaching a close approach between November 14 and 17, when the two will be about one degree apart—approximately twice the apparent diameter of the full moon.
Later in the month, on November 28, just after the full moon, the moon will occult the Beehive Cluster in Cancer, a nearby star cluster containing nearly a thousand stars. This event begins around 9:30 p.m. and offers an attractive target for binoculars and astrophotography, as the gibbous moon passes in front of the star-rich cluster.
Venus shines brilliantly in the southeast before sunrise but remains low on the horizon, making it challenging for most observers to view. Mercury undergoes inferior conjunction on November 4 but reemerges shortly afterward in the southeast morning sky. It is near its brightest toward the end of the month and can be spotted among the stars of Libra, providing a good opportunity for those looking to track this elusive planet.
November also marks the arrival of the European-Japanese BepiColombo mission at Mercury. The spacecraft are scheduled to enter orbit around the planet on November 21 and will conduct detailed studies over the next several years, aiming to better understand Mercury’s geologic history, surface composition, and enigmatic magnetic field. Scientific operations are expected to commence in the second quarter of 2027.
Meteor enthusiasts can look forward to the Leonid meteor shower, active throughout November and peaking on the morning of November 18. The shower occurs as Earth passes through debris left by comet Tempel-Tuttle. While this year’s meteor count is expected to be modest, the Leonids are predicted to produce spectacular storm-level activity in 2033 and 2034, with potentially thousands of meteors per hour. Observers are advised to look about 90 degrees away from the shower’s radiant point, near Mars and Jupiter.
The broader night sky features several prominent constellations. Orion is visible in the southeast, with the bright star Aldebaran in Taurus easily located along the line of Orion’s belt stars. High overhead is Perseus, home to notable star clusters including Messier 34 and the double cluster, the latter of which is visible to the naked eye under dark skies and known for its rich population of young stars. To the west, the winged horse Pegasus stands prominently, with Saturn positioned in Pisces just below. The tilt of Saturn’s rings remains favorable for observation.
In the northern sky, the constellations of Cygnus and the summer triangle are low on the horizon, illustrating the seasonal transition toward midwinter. The recommended viewing times and directions vary somewhat throughout the month, but early morning hours before dawn provide the best conditions to observe these celestial events and objects.