November Skies
November 1: New Moon - The Moon won't be visible in the night sky because it will be on the same side of the planet as the Sun.
Due to the absence of moonlight, this is the best time of the month to observe faint objects like star clusters and galaxies.
November 4-5: Taurids Meteor Shower - Every year, from September 7 to December 10, the shower is held. This year, it peaks on the evening of November 4.
Only five to ten meteors per hour are produced by the Taurids, a persistent minor meteor shower. The fact that it is composed of two distinct streams makes it unique.
The first is created by dust grains that Asteroid 2004 TG10 left behind. Comet 2P Encke's debris is responsible for the second stream.
This year's brightest meteors will be obscured by the first quarter moon. You might still catch a few good ones if you have patience. The best viewing will take place shortly after midnight from a dark spot far from the lights of the city.
November 15: Full Moon, "Super moon" - This is the third and last of the super moons for 2024.
Early Native American tribes called this full moon the Beaver Moon because it was the ideal time of year to set beaver traps before the rivers and swamps froze. Other names for it include the Dark Moon and the Frosty Moon.
Additionally, this is the final of 2024's three supermoons. The Moon might appear a little bigger and brighter than normal because it will be getting close to its closest approach to Earth.
November 16: Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation - This is the best time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the evening sky. Just after sunset, look for the planet low in the western sky.
November 17: Uranus at Opposition - The blue-green planet will be the closest to Earth, and the Sun will be shining fully on its face. All night long, it will be visible and brighter than at any other time of the year.
The best time to see Uranus is now. In all but the most powerful telescopes, it will only show up as a tiny blue-green dot because of its distance.
November 17-18: Leonids Meteor Shower - At its strongest, the Leonids shower can produce up to 15 meteors per hour, which is average. The cyclonic peak of this shower, which occurs roughly every 33 years and produces hundreds of meteors per hour, makes it special.
The final one took place in 2001. Dust grains from the comet Tempel-Tuttle, which was discovered in 1865, are what create the Leonids. Every year, from November 6 to 30, the shower is held.
This year, the evening of the 17th and the morning of the 18th mark its peak. Regretfully, this year's nearly full moon will obscure all but the brightest meteors. You might still catch a few good ones if you have patience. It will be best viewed after midnight from a dark spot.
November 21 – α-Monocerotid Meteor Shower
The α-Monocerotid meteor shower is expected to peak in meteor production around November 21st, with an active period from November 15th to November 25th.
The shower is likely to produce its best displays just before dawn, when its radiant point is at its highest, because the radiant point will be at its highest in the sky after dawn.
November 28 – Peak of the November Orionids Meteor Shower
Although it lasts from November 13 to December 6, the night of November 28 is predicted to see the most activity from the shower. The maximum is predicted to be three per hour, and this shower isn't as active as the October Orionids or any others this month.
Look for these meteors in the general vicinity of the Orion constellation. To find them, move your gaze across that region of the sky rather than directly at the radiant point.
