November touts 3 meteor showers, final supermoon of 2024
November will bring plenty to see in the night sky, including meteor showers rich with fireballs and a celestial alignment with the moon.
From three meteor showers to a planetary alignment right next to a famous constellation, here are the top astronomy events to mark on your November 2024 calendar.
November's long nights will be teeming with astronomical activity, including multiple meteor showers and several events centered around the moon. So be sure to mark down these events on your calendar as the new month gets underway.
3 meteor showers
A trio of meteor showers will sparkle in the November sky, offering numerous opportunities for stargazers to spot shooting stars.
The first two meteor showers, the Southern Taurids and Northern Taurids, will peak during the first two weeks of the month. Unlike most meteor showers with brief peaks of one or two nights, these two are extended, making any night in the first half of the month with clear skies ideal for viewing.
Together, they will produce around 5 meteors per hour, with the possibility of exceptionally bright meteors known as fireballs, according to the American Meteor Society.
A fireball lights up the sky over Pensacola Beach, Florida. (Image/Austin Houser)
The best meteor shower of the month will take place on the night of Sunday, Nov. 17, into the morning of Monday, Nov. 18. The Leonids are renowned for occasionally producing meteor storms with hundreds or even thousands of meteors per hour. However, this year, a more modest display is expected, with 15 to 20 meteors per hour.
Final supermoon of 2024
The last supermoon of the year will rise on Friday, Nov. 15, appearing slightly bigger and brighter than normal.
November's full moon is also known as the Beaver Moon, as it is the time of year when beavers get ready for winter and retreat into the lodges, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac. Other nicknames for the upcoming full moon include the Freezing Moon, the Deer Rutting Moon and the Whitefish Moon.
The moon sets beyond downtown buildings Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Those who miss this supermoon will have to wait almost a year to see another one, as the next supermoon will rise in October 2025.
Moon, Jupiter and Mars align
One night after the Leonid meteor shower peaks, an easy-to-see alignment will appear in the night sky.
Around 10 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 18, the nearly full moon will glow almost directly between Jupiter and Mars above the eastern horizon. As a bonus, the famous constellation Orion will be visible to the right of the moon and planets.
An encore will take place on Nov. 19, with the moon appearing closer to Mars, followed by a close encounter of the two objects on Nov. 20.
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