October 27 evening: Moon near Aldebaran and the Pleiades
This evening, the bright waning gibbous moon will lie near the Pleiades star cluster. The brightest star of Taurus the Bull, Aldebaran, will shine nearby. They’ll be visible through dawn the next morning. Chart via EarthSky.
Our charts are mostly set for mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. To see a precise view — and time — from your location, try Stellarium Online.
October 27 evening: Binocular view of the moon and Pleiades
Here’s a binocular view of the waning gibbous moon in the late evening of October 27, appearing close to the stars of the Pleiades star cluster. They’ll be closest at 2 UTC on October 28 (9 p.m. CDT on October 27). Chart via EarthSky.
Don’t miss the morning sky: Jupiter and Mars are getting closer!
Jupiter — the 2nd-brightest planet — is now high in the east at dawn. Face the sunrise direction and look up. You can’t miss it. Then extend that line from the sunrise point, through Jupiter. You’ll soon come to much-fainter Mars. Jupiter and Mars are drawing closer. Mars will pass 1.2 degrees to the north of Jupiter on November 15. They are so much fun to watch! And will you see Saturn in the west? Saturn reached opposition on October 4. That’s when Earth passed between Saturn and the sun, bringing Saturn opposite the sun in our sky. During its opposition month, Saturn is generally closest and brightest for the year, by late October, Saturn is no longer visible before dawn. That’s because Earth has moved on in orbit around the sun. And so, as the weeks pass, Saturn appears higher and higher in our eastern sky at nightfall and below the horizon by dawn. Chart via EarthSky.
It’s Saturn time!
For the whole Earth, Saturn is putting on one of its best shows of the year. The ringed planet is bright, visible throughout the night and perfectly placed for observing. Saturn reached opposition on October 4, when Earth passed between it and the sun, marking the peak of its visibility for 2026. But the show is far from over! Watch the video above — with host Deborah Byrd — to look ahead to Saturn’s 2026–27 observing season. Watch in the player above, or on YouTube.Saturn lies in the east in the evening hours of October. Grab a telescope for a chance to see the planet’s iconic rings while it’s still well placed for observing. Chart via EarthSky.
When will you next see Venus?
October 28 evening: Moon near Capella, Aldebaran and Pleiades
October 30 and 31 mornings: Moon near Pollux and Castor
Before dawn on the last 2 mornings of October, the moon, nearing its 3rd quarter phase, will approach Castor and Pollux, the twin stars of Gemini. (Pollux is the brighter of the pair.) On October 31, the moon will shine by the 2 stars. Chart via EarthSky.
Late on November 1, look for the twin stars of Gemini, Castor and Pollux, leading the 3rd quarter moon up from the horizon (Pollux is the brighter of the pair.) Chart via EarthSky.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Mandy Daniels captured the third quarter moon in daylight on October 3, 2026, from the UK. Thank you, Mandy! The moment of the 3rd quarter moon will fall at 20:28 UTC on November 1, 2026. That’s 2:28 p.m. Central Standard Time. It’ll rise in the middle of the night and set around midday. Look for it high in the sky before dawn.
November morning planets: Northern Hemisphere view
The November morning sky — around November 7 — features 3 bright planets that you can see before dawn. The brightest — Venus — is visible just before dawn and follows bright Jupiter and red Mars across the sky as the sun rises. Chart via EarthSky.
Early November evening planet: Northern Hemisphere
The evening sky in early November features 1 bright planet: Golden Saturn will be shining in the east as darkness falls. It’ll be visible until after midnight all month. Chart via EarthSky.
November 2 and 3 mornings: Moon near Jupiter, Mars and Regulus
The waning crescent moon will lie near Jupiter and close to red Mars on the morning of November 2. Below them is the bright star Regulus, the brightest star in Leo the Lion. Then the thick crescent moon will lie close to Regulus on the following morning, November 3. Keep an eye on Mars and Jupiter. They’ll get closer over the next 2 weeks, coming to within almost 2 full-moon widths of each other on the morning of November 15. Chart via EarthSky.
Early November: South and North Taurid meteor shower
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Eliot Herman captured this image of a Taurid fireball on November 5, 2022, from Arizona. Thank you, Eliot! Taurid meteors consist of 2 streams, the South Taurids and North Taurids. Both streams radiate from the constellation Taurus the Bull, not far from the bright star Aldebaran and the tiny, misty, dipper-shaped Pleiades. Taurus is high in the sky in the middle of the night now. So the hours around midnight are a good time to watch for Taurid meteors and fireballs, as they appear to originate from the constellation Taurus. In October and November, this constellation is highest in the sky in the middle of the night. And Taurid meteors ramble across the sky for weeks; they don’t have a definite peak.
November 5 and 6 mornings: Moon plus Venus and Spica
In the early morning hours of November 5, the waning crescent moon will float high in the east. Brilliant Venus is above the eastern horizon and is next to the star Spica. Spica is the brightest star in Virgo the Maiden. Chart via EarthSky.
November 6 and 7 mornings: Moon near Venus and Spica
On the morning of November 6, the waning crescent moon will float above brilliant Venus. Can you also spot the bright star Spica close to Venus through dawn’s growing light? Then, on the following morning, the slender waning crescent moon forms a tight trio with Venus and Spica. Chart via EarthSky.
Our charts are mostly set for mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. To see a precise view — and time — from your location, try Stellarium Online.
November 9: New moon
Here’s a view of new moon we don’t often get to see. NOAA’s CCOR-1 coronagraph aboard the GOES-19 spacecraft spotted the moon drifting through its field of view on its way to the August 12, 2026, total solar eclipse. CCOR-1 blocks the sun’s blinding face with an occulting disk so it can watch the faint outer corona for coronal mass ejections. This month, the moment of new moon will fall at 7:02 UTC on November 9, 2026. That’s 1:02 a.m. Central Standard Time in the Americas. New moons rise and set with the sun. Nights around the new moon offer the darkest skies. See EarthSky’s best places to stargaze. Images via NOAA/ GOES.
On November 11, the thin waxing crescent moon will float above the western horizon in the bright evening twilight shortly after sunset. Can you spot it before it sets? Chart via EarthSky.
November 12 and 13 evenings: Thin crescent moons glowing with earthshine
Shortly after sunset on November 12 and 13, the waxing crescent moon will glow with earthshine as it floats above the western horizon. Chart via EarthSky.
November 15 to 17 mornings: Jupiter and Mars conjunction
Bright Jupiter and red Mars will shine in the east before sunrise in November. Below them is the brightest star in Leo the Lion, Regulus. Don’t miss them on the mornings of November 15 to 17. On those mornings, Jupiter will lie close to Mars. They’ll be at their closest — a little more than 2 full-moon widths apart — at 3 UTC on November 15. Chart via EarthSky.
November 15 and 16 evenings: Moon near Capricornus
The moon, nearing its first quarter phase, will lie among the stars of Capricornus the Sea-goat on the evenings of November 15 and 16. They’ll set after midnight. Chart via EarthSky.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | James Reynolds in Leicester, North Carolina, caught this Leonid meteor on November 17, 2020. Thanks, James! In 2026, watch for Leonids after midnight on November 17 through dawn on November 18. The radiant point rises around midnight and is highest in the sky at dawn. So the quarter moon will be setting around the time the radiant rises and won’t interfere with watching for meteors. And in 2026, don’t miss bright Jupiter and red Mars near the radiant point of the Leonids. How cool is that?
Our charts are mostly set for mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. To see a precise view — and time — from your location, try Stellarium Online.
November 17: 1st quarter moon
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Asha Prasad captured this image on October 18, 2026, from Minnesota. Asha wrote: “First quarter moon captured on a calm October evening.” Thank you, Asha! This month’s moment of 1st quarter moon will fall at 11:48 UTC on November 17, 2026. That’s 5:48 a.m. Central Standard Time in the Americas. A 1st quarter moon rises around noon your local time and sets around midnight. Watch for a 1st quarter moon high in the sky at sundown.
November 19 and 20 evenings: Moon near Saturn
The waxing gibbous moon will lie near the steady golden light of Saturn on the evenings of November 19 and 20. They’ll set several hours after the middle of the night. Saturn is still well placed for observing this month after its recent opposition, when it was at its biggest and brightest. Chart via EarthSky.
Mercury reaches greatest elongation from the morning sun
Mercury will reach its widest angle from the sun in the morning sky on November 21. This point in its orbit is called greatest western elongation. From the Northern Hemisphere, look for the little planet in the east shortly before sunrise. It will lie in the brightening twilight about midway between brilliant Venus (with Spica next to it) and the horizon. Because of the steep angle of its orbit with respect to the horizon, Mercury will climb quickly in the bright morning twilight, making it relatively easy to spot for Northern Hemisphere viewers. Chart via EarthSky.
Late November morning planets
On the morning of November 21, as viewed from the Northern Hemisphere, look for brilliant Venus low on the eastern horizon and Mercury even lower. Mercury will reach its greatest distance from the sun on November 21. And Venus will reach its greatest brilliancy — its brightest in the morning sky — on November 29. Above them will be the planets Jupiter and Mars. Chart via EarthSky.
Late November evening planets
Around the middle of the night in late November, there will be 3 bright planets in the sky. The brightest — Jupiter — is rising in the east, followed by red Mars. And Saturn is setting in the west. Chart via EarthSky.
November 23 and 24 evenings: Supermoon near Aldebaran and Pleiades
On the evening of November 23, the bright waxing gibbous moon will shine near the brightest star of Taurus the Bull, Aldebaran. Plus, the Pleiades star cluster will be nearby. Can you see the misty star cluster near the bright glow of the moon? Then, the next evening, November 24, the Full Beaver Supermoon shines all night near Aldebaran and the Pleiades. They’ll be visible through dawn the next morning. Chart via EarthSky.
Our charts are mostly set for mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. To see a precise view — and time — from your location, try Stellarium Online.
November 26 and 27 evenings: Moon near the twin stars
A few hours after sunset on the evenings of November 26 and 27, the waning gibbous moon will float near Castor (the dimmer twin star) and Pollux (the brighter twin star) in Gemini the Twins. You can catch them all night until dawn. Chart via EarthSky.
November 29 and 30 mornings: Moon near Jupiter, Mars and Regulus
The moon approaching its third quarter phase lies high in the east before dawn on the morning of November 29. Jupiter, Mars and the bright star Regulus are nearby. On the following morning, November 30, the moon, Jupiter, Mars and Regulus make an eye-catching tight group in the morning sky. Chart via EarthSky.
From the Southern Hemisphere, shortly after sunset in the first part of the month, Venus will shine brightly in the west. To its lower right lies the much dimmer Mercury in the bright twilight. The waxing crescent moon will visit Mercury on October 12, and Mercury is also at its greatest distance from the sun that evening. By the middle of the month, Venus has dropped close to the horizon, while Mercury maintains its height. Near the end of the month, Venus has disappeared. Mercury is still present but will appear less bright than it was earlier in October. For those in the Northern Hemisphere, Venus will slip away by mid-month and Mercury will be challenging to spot during this evening apparition. Chart via EarthSky.Saturn will be shining as a steady golden light in the east during the evening hours of October. It’s the brightest object in that part of the sky, other than the passing moon. It’ll be highest in the sky around the middle of the night and low in the western morning sky before dawn. Saturn reached opposition so it was at its biggest and brightest — when we flew between it and the sun — on October 4. Chart via EarthSky.
October visible planets: Morning
Bright Jupiter will lie in the east before sunrise in October. Above it is red Mars and below it is Regulus, the brightest star in Leo the Lion. By the end of the month, Jupiter and Mars will be closer to each other. Chart via EarthSky.
November morning planets
Shortly before sunrise after November 5, Venus will shine brightly in the east next to the star Spica. By the middle of the month, Venus and Spica will have risen higher in the sky. And Mercury will get easier to see as the month progresses. By the end of November, Venus will have moved farther away from Spica. Chart via EarthSky.Bright Jupiter will lie high in the east a few hours before sunrise in early November. Mars will be above it with the star Regulus below. By mid-month, Mars will drop below Jupiter. Near the end of November, Mars will leave Jupiter behind and and sink toward Regulus. Chart via EarthSky.Mercury will reach its greatest elongation from the sun at 0 UTC on November 21, 2026. In early November, from the Northern Hemisphere, Mercury will lie low in the east shortly before sunrise. Brilliant Venus and the star Spica are next to each other and far above Mercury. After the middle of the month, Mercury will have brightened and climbed toward Venus and Spica. By month’s end, Mercury will have begun to descend, and it will slip away by mid-December. Chart via EarthSky.
October stars
If you’re out stargazing on any October evening, look for these stars and constellations in the evening sky.
The house-shaped constellation Cepheus the King lies in the northern sky by the constellation Cassiopeia. Gamma Cephei, or Errai marks the peak of the roof of the house. And Errai is very near Polaris, the North Star.Find Algol the Demon Star in the constellation Perseus on autumn evenings. And Perseus lies below the easy-to-recognize W-shaped constellation Cassiopeia.Although the Big Dipper is low on the horizon — or below the horizon — for mid-northern latitudes now, the Little Dipper is high in the northern sky. In fact, the Big Dipper is tough to spot on late October evenings because it rides so low in the north. As always, the 2 outer stars in the Dipper’s bowl point to Polaris, the North Star.
Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view — and time — from your location, try Stellarium Online.
If you’re out stargazing on any November evening, look for these stars and constellations in the evening sky.
On November and December evenings, when W-shaped Cassiopeia the Queen rides high in the north, her husband on the sky’s dome, Cepheus the King, does, too. The house-shaped Cepheus lies inside a triangle formed by the Little Dipper, Cassiopeia and Cygnus the Swan (or the Northern Cross).Find Perseus with the help of the constellation Cassiopeia the Queen. Cassiopeia’s distinctive M or W shape is ascending in the northeast on Northern Hemisphere autumn evenings, with Perseus following. Cassiopeia and Perseus travel together in a great arc around the northern sky. Be sure to look for the star Algol, sometimes called the Ghoul Star or Demon Star. Chart via EarthSky.Here’s an easy way to use the prominent M or W shape of Cassiopeia to locate the Double Cluster in Perseus.
Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view — and time — from your location, try Stellarium Online.
Here is the sky dome view for October 2026. It shows what is above the horizon at mid-evening for mid-northern latitudes. The view may vary depending on your location. Image via Guy Ottewell’s 2026 Astronomical Calendar.Here is the sky dome view for November 2026. It shows what is above the horizon at mid-evening for mid-northern latitudes. The view may vary depending on your location. Image via Guy Ottewell’s 2026 Astronomical Calendar.
Visible planets and night sky guide. This evening, look for the thick, bright, waning gibbous moon near the Pleiades star cluster and the brightest star in Taurus the Bull, Aldebaran.
Meet Marcy Curran, our voice of the night sky on EarthSky YouTube. Check out her popular short videos in the Sky category on our YouTube channel. When she's not making videos, Marcy is an EarthSky editor, helping to keep our night sky guide up-to-date and just generally helping to keep the wheels turning around here. Marcy has enjoyed stargazing since she was a child, going on family camping trips under the dark skies of Wyoming. She bought her first telescope in time to see Halley’s Comet when it visited the inner solar system in 1986. She co-founded her local astronomy club and remains an active board member. Marcy taught astronomy at her local community college for over 20 years. She and her husband live in Wyoming, in a rural location, with an all-sky camera and super-good horizon views! And, they built an observatory to capture images of the night sky.
“I can sometimes see the moon in the daytime” was a cosmic revelation that John Jardine Goss first discovered through personal observations at age 6. It shook his young concept of the universe and launched his interest in astronomy and stargazing, a fascination he still holds today. John is past president of the Astronomical League, the largest U.S. federation of astronomical societies, with over 24,000 members. He's earned the title of Master Observer and is a regular contributor to the video series, “Global Star Party.” He has authored the celestial observing guides “Exploring the Starry Realm,” and “Carpe Lunam,” and “Take Your First Steps, an Introduction to Amateur Astronomy.” John also wrote for twenty years the monthly stargazing column, Roanoke Skies, for the Roanoke Times, and currently writes a bimonthly column, Skywatch, for Blue Ridge Country magazine. He has contributed to Sky and Telescope magazine, the IDA Nightscape, the Astronomical League’s Reflector magazine, and the RASC Observer’s Handbook.
Deborah Byrd (asteroid 3505 Byrd) helps edit EarthSky.org and is a frequent host of EarthSky videos. Deborah created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named in her honor in 1990, a Public Service Award from the National Science Board in 2003, and the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society in 2020. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.
Kelly Kizer Whitt writes and edits some of the most fascinating stories at EarthSky.org. She's been writing about science, with a focus on astronomy, for decades. She began her career at Astronomy Magazine and made regular contributions to other outlets, including AstronomyToday and the Sierra Club. She has nine published books, including a children's picture book, Solar System Forecast, and a young adult dystopian novel, A Different Sky.
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