In November 2023, stargazers will have the opportunity to spot 3 meteor showers, a particularly bright Venus, and a full Beaver moon.
Southern Taurids Meteor Shower – November 5 and 6
From November 5th-6th, the Southern Taurids Meteor Shower is predicted to peak. These meteors are particularly noticeable from late October to early November when both the Southern and Northern Taurids overlap.
Beneath dark skies with no moon, both South Taurids produce approximately 5 meteors per hour and 10 total when the North and South Taurids overlap. Though Taurid meteors are slower to appear than those from other meteor showers, they can be particularly bright.
Fireballs may also appear, such as those that were spotted in 2022. These meteors will be visible from almost everywhere on Earth except for the South Pole.
Moon and Venus Conjunction – November 9
Venus, the brightest planet in our solar system, will shine especially brightly on November 9th. This will begin in the eastern horizon around 2:55 AM EST and, as the morning continues, Venus will shift upwards.
It will be one teach one degree to the upper right by about 5:44 AM EST. For some viewers, the moon will pass in front of Venus, blocking it from view at this time. Visibility will be best in northern Canada, Iceland, most of Greenland, west Russia, Svalbard, most of Europe, parts of North Africa, and most of the Middle East.
Northern Taurids Meteor Shower – November 11 through 13
Due to the moon’s phases, the best opportunity to spot the Northern Taurids Meteor Shower is predicted to be from November 11th-13th. The best time to view will most likely be on the 13th at midnight as the moon will only be 2 percent full and will interfere with visibility the least.
Leonids Meteor Shower – November 18
The peak opportunity to view the Leonids Meteor Shower is predicted to be November 18th as the sky will be free of moonlight. The best time to spot the meteor shower will be late on the night of November 17th until dawn on November 18th.
The Leonid Meteor Shower is famous for producing one of the greatest meteor storms in living history on November 17, 1996, when the sky held thousands of meteors per minute during a 15-minute span. These meteor showers sometimes occur in cycles of 33 to 34 years and it’s possible to spot 10 to 15 meteors per hour under a moonless sky.
Full Beaver Moon – November 27
The full beaver moon will reach peak illumination on November 27th at 4:16 AM EST, but it will also appear full and close on the night of November 26th. For the best experience of all space-watching activities this month, go to dark areas away from the light pollution in cities or towns and ensure you have approximately half an hour for your eyes to adjust to the light prior to the event’s occurrence.
