WTOP’s Greg Redfern previews what skywatchers can expect for the month of November.
“What’s up in the sky?” is a recurring feature and publishes on the first of every month. You can find it on WTOP’s The Space Place. Email Greg your space questions and he might answer them in the next edition.
WTOP’s Greg Redfern joins Ian Crawford to discuss the biggest celestial gifts to check out for November.
Welcome to WTOP’s monthly feature, “What’s up in the sky?” Each month it features the best the sky has to offer stargazers regarding the moon, planets and stars. Space-related events that might interest you taking place in the D.C. area are included as well.
Let’s get to the sky for November 2025!
Must-see sky sights for November
Full hunter’s supermoon is the largest and brightest full moon for 2025.
The Leonid meteor shower will take place on the night of Nov. 20 to 21.
Star of the month: Capella
In November, be on the lookout for bright Capella in the northeast. It is the first bright winter season star and is beautiful to see rising in the early evening hours. Look for it right after it gets dark as it will “twinkle” with wonderful colors due to being low on the horizon.
Highlights of the month
As November begins, the Summer Triangle is headed toward the Western horizon with the Milky Way running through it as it flows across the sky to the northeast. As the night heads into the hours before dawn, the “Winter Milky Way” is visible in the southeast to the northwest.
You can image the Milky Way with a smartphone and/or camera by taking time exposures. For best results, use a tripod.
The constellation Pegasus, the Flying Horse, is also known as the “Great Square.” That is because it is a “Great Square” in the eastern sky after dark. It is very easy to see. Attached to Pegasus is the constellation of Andromeda.
Following the star chart, try to locate a fuzzy spot with your eyes — binoculars will help immensely. When you find it, this is the great Andromeda Galaxy. This is the farthest object at 2.5 million light-years that can be seen with the unaided eye.
The light from the Andromeda Galaxy that is entering your eye left the galaxy when our ancestors were developing a curved spine to help us walk more efficiently. Pretty amazing.
Nov. 5: As it gets dark, Saturn and the almost full moon rise in the East a mere two degrees apart.
Nov. 6: The full hunter’s supermoon is at 7:19 a.m. Eastern Time and rises at sunset in the East. This is the second full supermoon of 2025 and the largest and brightest full moon of 2025. Should be a grand sight at sunset. Get your smartphone/camera ready.
Please note that a reference I used for the full harvest supermoon in October’s “What’s Up” erroneously reported it to be the “largest and brightest” of 2025.
Nov. 17: The Leonid Meteor Shower should be best from 1 a.m. to dawn. Under dark sky conditions, the Leonids exhibit a maximum of about 10 to 15 meteors per hour.
The moon
Nov. 5: Full hunter supermoon — largest and brightest full moon for 2025.
Nov. 12: Last quarter
Nov. 20: New moon
Nov. 28: First quarter
Planets
Mercury is favorable for Southern Hemisphere viewers at dusk in the west.
Venus is very low above the eastern horizon before dawn, and will become more difficult to see as it nears the sun’s glare.
Mars is in the glare of the sun at dusk.
Jupiter rises in the northeast during the evening hours and is quite bright.
Saturn is high in the southeast after dark. A great view in a telescope as the rings cast a thin line across the planet.
Uranus is in the eastern sky after dark. You need a telescope to best observe the planet although it is visible in binoculars.
Neptune is in the east as it gets dark. You need a telescope to observe the planet.
Pluto is way out there in the solar system and requires taking images through a telescope spaced days apart to hunt it down.
DC-area events
Shenandoah National Park
Shenandoah National Park’s Big Meadows is an excellent dark sky site. I will be conducting my “Let’s Talk About Space” events at Skyland Lodge Conference Center, so hope to see you there.
NOVAC General Meeting
George Mason University. Check the calendar for astronomy events.
The Analemma Society
The Analemma Society has resumed observatory operations. Check the link regarding Friday Night Public Viewing Sessions at Turner Farm in Great Falls, Virginia. Check their calendar for other astronomy activities in November.
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Other groups holding events in September include Virginia State Parks and the National Capital Astronomers.
You can check here and here for astronomy clubs that are outside the D.C. area.
Bonus!
Download NASA’s 2025 Science Calendar that features out-of-this-world pictures and information.
The Planetary Society’s Space Events 2025 Calendar is another resource for tracking space missions.
Use this useful tool to create a custom star chart for your location to help you find your way around the stars.
You can also send in any space-related questions to my email address. Suggestions about this feature are also welcome.
Follow Greg Redfern on Facebook, Bluesky and his daily blog to keep up with the latest news in astronomy and space exploration.
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