November’s night sky: Beaver Supermoon on 24 November as Mars meets Jupiter

November has opened with a busy night sky, and the show starts tonight. A Last Quarter Moon crosses the sky on Sunday, 1 November, with Mars and Jupiter close by, an easy first sighting.

Mars was due to rise at around 1 a.m. local time, with Jupiter following about 30 minutes later, according to The Weather Network. The Moon sits near the pair, and the two planets then draw a little closer together each night.

The month builds towards two highlights. Mars and Jupiter reach their closest approach in mid-November, appearing just over one degree apart, about the width of a pinky finger at arm’s length. Then, on Tuesday, 24 November, the Full Beaver Moon rises as a supermoon, the first since January and the first of four in a row through February 2027.

Why it matters

A conjunction does not mean the planets are actually close together. Mars and Jupiter remain millions of kilometres apart, but seen from Earth they line up in the same patch of sky. No telescope is needed, and the Moon acts as a guide to both planets and the bright star Regulus nearby.

A supermoon is a full Moon near perigee, the Moon’s closest point to Earth, so it looks a little larger and brighter than an average full Moon. The November full Moon carries the traditional name Beaver Moon, from the season when beavers were said to be busy building their winter dams.

What happens next

The dates to watch are spread across the month. The Southern Taurid meteors are forecast to peak on the night of 4–5 November, and the Northern Taurids on 11–12 November, each at around five to ten meteors an hour. The Leonids peak on 17–18 November, with up to 15 meteors an hour under ideal conditions, best seen before sunrise on 18 November.

Mercury is easiest to spot around 20 November, and Venus is at its brightest of 2026 on 27 November. The month closes on Monday, 30 November, when the Moon makes close approaches to both Mars and Jupiter, with Regulus alongside them. Find a dark place away from city lights, look east before dawn, and check local moonrise times, since cloud can hide even the brightest display.

This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.

Sources

• https://www.theweathernetwork.com/en/news/science/space/mars-jupiter-conjunction-slow-dance-in-the-sky-throughout-november?0=6tv1k0%3D&jw_start=%7Bseek_to_second_number%7D (The Weather Network, 31 October 2026)
• https://www.timeanddate.com/news/astronomy/night-sky-november-2026 (timeanddate, 2026)
• https://www.timeanddate.com/news/astronomy/moon-november-2026 (timeanddate, 29 October 2026)