The Sky At A Glance

Please note: Daylight Saving Time ends in most of the U.S. on Sunday, November 1, when the civil time changes from 2:00 am to 1:00 am.

The Moon occults some of the stars of the Pleiades on November 3-4. See our "What's New" section for details.

Evening Planets (after sunset)

• Mercury, SW (end of the month)
• Jupiter, SW
• Neptune, SW
• Uranus, S

Visible at Midnight

• Uranus, W
• Mars, E

Morning Planets (before sunrise)

• Mars, S
• Saturn, SE
• Venus, E

There are no comets brighter than magnitude 8 observable from Northern Hemisphere sites.

The Leonid meteors should demonstrate some activity from November 14-21, with a peak on the early morning of November 17th. There will be no Moon to interfere during the maximum, when rates across North America may reach 20-30 per hour (barring unusual outbursts).

The Leonids, like all meteor showers, are best viewed with the unaided eye. No special location is required, but you should go someplace with a relatively unrestricted view of the sky (i.e. not surrounded by tall trees). The darker the sky, the better your chance of seeing faint meteors, so try to get away from city lights. Then, stretch out a blanket, lie down and watch!