November 2026 will feature three meteor showers, a close approach between Mars and Jupiter, a supermoon, and a historic milestone for NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft.
The Southern Taurids will peak around November 5, followed by the Northern Taurids around November 12. Both showers originate from the constellation Taurus and typically produce about five meteors per hour, though they are known for occasional fireballs. The Leonids will peak during the early morning hours of November 17 and 18, potentially producing approximately 15 meteors per hour under ideal conditions. NASA recommends traveling away from city lights and allowing 30 minutes for eyes to adjust to darkness.
On November 15 and 16, Mars and Jupiter will appear separated by only about 1.2 degrees in the southeastern sky before dawn. Jupiter will be the brighter object, while Mars will show its characteristic reddish appearance. Both planets will be visible to the unaided eye.
Voyager 1 will reach a distance of one light-day from Earth on November 17, making it the first human-made object to travel that far from our planet. At this distance, radio signals traveling at the speed of light will require 24 hours to reach the spacecraft, and a complete round-trip communication will take approximately 48 hours. NASA is marking the achievement with its Shine Bright for Voyager's Light-Day activation.
A supermoon will rise on November 24, occurring when a full Moon coincides with the Moon's closest approach in its elliptical orbit. The Moon will appear somewhat larger and brighter than an average full Moon. This supermoon begins a sequence of three consecutive supermoons, with additional events in December and January. NASA recommends viewing from the eastern horizon around sunset for the best perspective.