This month in the sky
The night sky in November 2026
In November 2026 the best-placed deep-sky targets around midnight are M45 Pleiades, M42 Orion Nebula, M35. The darkest nights fall around the new moon on 9 November. Planets in the night sky: Venus (morning), Mars (morning), Jupiter (morning), Saturn (most of the night).
Moon and darkness
| New moon | 9 November |
|---|---|
| Full moon | 24 November |
| Full darkness at 52° N | about 11.0 hours a night |
Plan faint galaxies in the week around new moon; bright nebulae and clusters also work near full moon.
Best placed around midnight
| Target | Type | Size | Sky needed | Highest at 52° N | Highest at 40° N | Frames it best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M45 Pleiades | open cluster | 110′ | City-friendly | 62° | 74° | Seestar S30 Pro |
| M42 Orion Nebula | star-forming nebula | 66′ | City-friendly | 33° | 45° | Seestar S30 Pro |
| M35 | open cluster | 28′ | City-friendly | 62° | 74° | Origin Mark II |
| M37 Salt and Pepper Cluster | open cluster | 24′ | City-friendly | 71° | 83° | Seestar S50 |
| M36 Pinwheel Cluster | open cluster | 12′ | City-friendly | 72° | 84° | Odyssey |
| M38 Starfish Cluster | open cluster | 21′ | City-friendly | 74° | 86° | Seestar S50 |
| M78 | reflection nebula | 8′ | City-friendly | 38° | 50° | Odyssey |
| M79 | globular cluster | 9′ | City-friendly | 13° | 25° | Odyssey |
Already high in the evening
These targets culminate around 22:00 this month: ideal if you do not want to stay up late.
| Target | Type | Size | Sky needed | Highest at 52° N | Highest at 40° N | Frames it best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M34 | open cluster | 35′ | City-friendly | 81° | 87° | DWARF mini |
| M103 | open cluster | 6′ | City-friendly | 81° | 69° | mosaic or too small |
| M76 Little Dumbbell Nebula | planetary nebula | 2′ | City-friendly | 90° | 78° | mosaic or too small |
| M77 Cetus A | spiral galaxy | 7′ | Suburban sky | 38° | 50° | Odyssey |
| M33 Triangulum Galaxy | spiral galaxy | 71′ | Dark sky | 69° | 81° | Seestar S30 Pro |
| M74 Phantom Galaxy | spiral galaxy | 11′ | Dark sky | 54° | 66° | Odyssey |
Planets
Calculated for the 15th at 52° N: planets at least 10° high while it is dark.
- Venus: morning, up to 11° high
- Mars: morning, up to 52° high
- Jupiter: morning, up to 51° high
- Saturn: most of the night, up to 39° high
Meteor showers
- Leonids, peak around 17 November
Questions and answers
- What is the best smart telescope target in November?
- M45 Pleiades is among the best-placed targets around midnight, and the Seestar S30 Pro frames it best.
- When are the darkest nights in November?
- Around the new moon on 9 November, when moonlight does not brighten the sky.