Stargazer's guide to the Beaver Moon and other things to see in the sky, November 2025

Stargazer's guide to the Beaver Moon and other things to see in the sky, November 2025

What can you see in the night sky tonight? Find out what's on view in our monthly stargazing guide.

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In this guide we'll reveal what you can see in the night sky tonight, and throughout the month.

Those of us who enjoy stargazing and observing the night sky can't always plan when and where we're going to get the chance to gaze upwards.

Busy schedules, light pollution, the weather: sometimes finding even just 30 minutes to stand and stare up at a clear, dark night sky and take in the planets, stars and constellations can be a feat in itself.

So when you do find the time, you'll need to know what's visible in the night sky tonight, and the best things to look out for when stargazing.

Complete newcomer? Read our guides to the best telescopes for beginners and astronomy for beginners.

Stargazing is a great way of getting children interested in science and astronomy. Credit: M Gucci / Getty Images
Credit: M Gucci / Getty Images

Here's our stargazing guide to what you can see in the night sky tonight.

Our guide is centred around what's visible from the UK, but all northern hemisphere observers should be able to use it, with the odd adjustment to stated times.

In our guide, we use Universal Time (UT) and British Summer Time (BST). UT is the standard time used by astronomers around the world. BST is one hour ahead of UT.

We also use RA (Right ascension)and dec. (declination).

These coordinates are the night sky’s equivalent of longitude and latitude, describing where an object is on the celestial ‘globe’.

For help with these, read our guide to celestial coordinates.

For more advice, read our guide on how to stargaze or sign up to receive the BBC Sky at Night Magazine e-newsletter for weekly tips delivered directly to your email inbox.

If you're south of the equator, find out what you can see in the Southern Hemisphere night sky tonight.

Milky Way over Namthing Pokhri Lake Basudeb Chakrabarti, West Bengal, India, 13 March 2022 Equipment: Nikon D5200 DSLR, Tokina 11–16mm lens, tripod
Milky Way over Namthing Pokhri Lake Basudeb Chakrabarti, West Bengal, India, 13 March 2022 Equipment: Nikon D5200 DSLR, Tokina 11–16mm lens, tripod

What's in the night sky tonight?

November astronomy highlights

  • 8-11 November: Comet 24P/Schaumasse crosses the Beehive Cluster, M44
  • 14 November: Titan occulted and partially eclipsed by Saturn
  • 17 November: Leonid meteor shower peak
  • 21 November: Uranus at opposition (evening)
  • 22 November: Titan transits Saturn (18:52-01:10 UT)

Stars and constellations

Long, dark November nights are ideal for observing the stars and constellations.

Early evening you can still view the stars of summer, including the Summer Triangle asterism.

Given a clear, dark, moonless sky, you can still follow the summer Milky Way right down to the core region in Sagittarius, the Archer.

To the west of this rich part of the sky is the triangular sandwich-shaped pattern of Capricornus, the Sea Goat, opening the door to the watery constellations of autumn, including Aquarius, the Water Bearer, Piscis Austrinus, the Southern Fish and Pisces, the Fish.

Further east still, the wet theme spills into the winter sky with Cetus, the Whale east of Aquarius, followed by the long winding pattern of Eridanus, the River starting near the bright star Rigel (Beta (β) Orionis) in the southwest corner of Orion, the Hunter.

Orion moves into a prominent position in the early morning.

The impressive stars of winter around Orion include Canis Major, the Great Dog, Canis Minor, the Little Dog, Gemini, the Twins and Taurus, the Bull, the latter bridging the gap between autumn and winter. 

You can find the two brightest stars in Gemini, Castor (Alpha (α) Geminorum) and Pollux (Beta (β) Geminorum) by following the line from Rigel through Betelgeuse (Alpha (α) Orionis) in Orion’s northeast corner, for twice that distance again.

Castor and Pollux represent the heads of the heavenly twins. Although similar, Pollux is slightly brighter and redder.

Comet and meteor shower

Chart showing the location of comet 24P/Schaumasse in winter 2025. Credit: Pete Lawrence
Chart showing the location of comet 24P/Schaumasse in winter 2025. Credit: Pete Lawrence

Located east of Gemini is a very early taste of spring with Cancer, the Crab, a faint inverted-Y pattern with the beautiful Beehive Cluster M44, at its core.

Between 8-11 November ninth magnitude comet 24P/Schaumasse appears to cross this cluster.

This provides an easy way to locate the comet and a wonderful photo opportunity.

The only problem will be a bright Moon nearby, which will really make the diffuse comet harder to see.

Don’t be put off though because, as 24P continues to track east, it is predicted to brighten, reaching mag. +7.6 at the end of November, and will be located within the backward question mark asterism known as the Sickle in Leo, the Lion.

Chart showing the location of the Leonid meteor shower 2025. Credit: Pete Lawrence
Chart showing the location of the Leonid meteor shower 2025. Credit: Pete Lawrence

The Sickle is significant for another annually occurring event that happens in November, the Leonid meteor shower.

This year’s shower peaks on the evening of 17 November, giving the best views later that night and into the morning of 18 November.

The Leonid shower is active between 6-30 November producing a ZHR of around 15 meteors per hour during a typical peak period. 

Saturn Titan events

Illustration showing key Saturn Titan transit events, November 2025. Credit: Pete Lawrence
Illustration showing key Saturn Titan transit events, November 2025. Credit: Pete Lawrence

A number of interesting Titan-related events occur this month.

After Titan is occulted by Saturn between 18:48-00:35 UT on 14/15 November, the moon then goes on to be partially eclipsed by Saturn’s shadow from 01:25 UT until the planet sets just after 02:00 UT. The partial eclipse starts with Saturn at a tricky 5° altitude.  

Then, on 22 November, there’s a well-timed transit of Titan between 18:52-01:10 UT and another occultation by Saturn can be seen on 30 November between 17:22-23:24 UT.

If you’re wondering why we have put a lot of emphasis on Titan-related events this year, it’s because they will gradually start to peter out during the first part of 2026, and the next set won’t occur for approximately 13 years.

Titan transit of Saturn Eric Sussenbach, Willemstad, Curaçao, 1 August 2024 Equipment: Player One Neptune 664C camera, Celestron EdgeHD 14-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain, iOptron CEM120 mount
Titan transit of Saturn captured by Eric Sussenbach, Willemstad, Curaçao, 1 August 2024

Night sky in Noveember 2025, night-by-night

Sunday 2 November

Mag. +0.4 Saturn is 5.7° from this morning’s 82%-lit waxing gibbous Moon. Catch them together before they set at around 01:00 UT.

Tuesday 4 November

Callisto’s shadow transits Jupiter’s disc from 07:01 UT, ending in daylight at 10:36 UT.

Later in the day, catch Callisto itself in transit from when Jupiter rises around 20:55 UT until 22:25 UT.

Wednesday 5 November

Today’s full Moon occurs at 13:20 UT, just nine hours and 10 minutes ahead of lunar perigee (22:30 UT).

This makes it a perigee full Moon, which appears slightly larger than average, with an apparent diameter of 33.3 arcminutes compared to the average of 31.0 arcminutes.

Thursday 6 November

An opportunity to see a transit of Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, across the planet’s globe from 20:33 UT until Saturn sets at 02:33 UT.

Friday 7 November

Jupiter’s largest moon, Ganymede, will be eclipsed by Jupiter’s shadow at 04:01 UT.

Saturday 8 November

Comet 24P/Schaumasse begins to cross the Beehive Cluster, M44. The comet will be at around mag. +13.6, so this event best suits larger apertures or imaging setups. 

Monday 10 November

The 71%-lit waning gibbous Moon sits close to Jupiter this morning. At around 06:00 UT, in brightening twilight, both objects are less than 4° apart.

Tuesday 11 November

The 60%-lit Moon sits very near the Beehive Cluster, M44, this morning. 

Saturn’s tilt is less than –0.5°, appearing virtually edge-on until 8 December.

The Beehive Cluster Fernando Menezes, Munhoz, Brazil, 22-23 March 2023 Equipment: ZWO ASI6200MC colour CMOS camera, Sky-Watcher Esprit 150 ED refractor, iOptron CEM120 mount
The Beehive Cluster, captured by Fernando Menezes, Munhoz, Brazil, 22-23 March 2023

Wednesday 12 November

Today marks the centre of the broad peak in activity of the Northern Taurid meteor shower. The shower has a low ZHR of 5 meteors per hour.

Thursday 13 November

Callisto is occulted by Jupiter between 00:55 and 04:57 UT.

Friday 14 November

Titan is occulted by Saturn at 18:48 UT, reappearing at 00:35 UT on 15 November. The moon then enters a glancing partial eclipse by Saturn’s shadow at 01:25 UT. This will be hard to see as Saturn sets at 02:02 UT. 

Monday 17 November

The annual Leonid meteor shower peaks this evening. The shower’s radiant is conveniently located within the head of Leo the Lion, marked by the upper portion of the Sickle asterism. These meteors are very fast, with a ZHR of 15 per hour. 

Friday 21 November

Uranus reaches opposition for 2025. 

A busy few hours on Jupiter between 01:05 and 04:50 UT, including a double shadow transit by Io’s and Callisto’s shadows. 

Saturday 22 November

Titan transits Saturn from 18:52 UT this evening until 01:10 UT on 23 November. 

Tuesday 25 November

The shadow of Jupiter’s moon Ganymede transits the planet between 02:08 and 05:24 UT. The moon itself transits between 06:09 and 09:29 UT.

Saturday 29 November

Saturn sits 2.8° south of this evening’s 65%-lit waxing gibbous Moon. 

Sunday 30 November

Titan will be occulted by Saturn between 17:22 and 23:08 UT. 

Share your observations and images with us, or send us your astronomy questions to contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com

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