A close meeting of Mars and Jupiter, November’s Leonids and December’s dependable Geminids give us good reasons to step outside before the year ends. Here is what to look for, when to try and which events deserve realistic expectations.
A UK observing guide for November–December 2026, checked on 29 October. All clock times are GMT, equivalent to UTC during this period. Visibility depends on location, weather, local horizons and light pollution. The featured image is an illustration, not a sky chart.
The dates at a glance
| Date | Event | How to watch | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Around 5 and 12 November | Southern and Northern Taurids[1] | Late evening into the small hours; naked eye | Low rates; an occasional bright meteor is possible. |
| Before dawn, 16 November | Mars and Jupiter close together[2] | Look southeast to south; naked eye or binoculars | About one degree apart; an apparent pairing, not a physical encounter. |
| Night of 17–18 November | Leonids[3] | After midnight towards dawn; naked eye | Better after moonset; expect an ordinary shower, not a promised storm. |
| Around 25 November | Uranus at opposition[4] | Night-time; binoculars or telescope and a finder chart | Faint target; nearby full Moon makes this a difficult observing window. |
| Nights of 13–14 and 14–15 December | Geminids[5] | Late evening onwards, especially after moonset; naked eye | Best meteor-shower prospect in this guide if skies are clear. |
| 21 December, 20:50 GMT | Winter solstice[7] | A seasonal milestone, not a brief sky display | Shortest day of the year in the UK. |
| Around 22 December | Ursids[4] | Night-time; naked eye | An almost-full Moon will wash out many faint meteors. |
Early November: a patient watch for the Taurids
The International Meteor Organization lists approximate maxima on 5 November for the Southern Taurids and 12 November for the Northern Taurids. These are broad observing opportunities rather than appointments accurate to the minute. New Moon on 9 November makes the surrounding period useful for dark-sky watching.[1]
This is a quieter option: settle somewhere with a broad view and regard a meteor as a welcome reward rather than expecting a continuous display. Do not confuse a headline about possible fireballs with a forecast of a meteor storm.
16 November: Mars and Jupiter share the morning sky
Before dawn on 16 November, Mars and Jupiter appear close together in Leo. Look southeast to south as the morning progresses. The gap is just over one degree—roughly twice the apparent diameter of the full Moon. Jupiter is the brighter point; Mars has a warmer, orange appearance. Both fit comfortably in many binocular fields, but no equipment is needed to enjoy the pairing.[2]
A conjunction describes our line of sight. The planets remain enormously far apart in space; this is not a collision, an unusual gravitational threat or a sign that the Solar System is changing its arrangement.
17–18 November: Leonids after midnight
The Leonids come from debris associated with comet 55P/Tempel–Tuttle. The useful UK peak night is 17 into 18 November, with the later hours offering better prospects as Leo rises and the Moon leaves the sky. Check moonset for your own location.[3]
The commonly quoted ideal peak rate is around 10–15 meteors an hour. A typical observer may see fewer. The spectacular Leonid storms of the past are not a promise for this November.
Use your eyes rather than a telescope, which restricts the patch of sky you can watch. A reclining chair, warm layers and an unobstructed view make a long wait more comfortable. Meteors can appear across the sky; you do not need to stare directly at Leo.
25 November: Uranus at opposition, with a catch
Uranus reaches opposition on 25 November. It lies opposite the Sun in our sky and is available through the night. The date marks a favourable part of its annual observing cycle, but Uranus remains faint: most beginners should use binoculars or a telescope and an accurate finder chart.[4]
There is an important practical limitation: opposition falls close to full Moon this year, so bright moonlight makes a faint target harder to identify. The date is worth marking, but a darker night nearby may be more rewarding. Opposition does not mean there is only one chance to see the planet.
Expect a modest view. Finding a distant world is the achievement; a small telescope will not reproduce the detailed spacecraft pictures familiar from astronomy articles.
13–15 December: make the Geminids your priority
If you choose one meteor-shower outing from this guide, make it the Geminids. The Royal Observatory lists activity from 4 to 20 December and a maximum on 14 December. The nights on either side give UK observers useful opportunities; the astronomical maximum is not necessarily during local darkness.[5]
Begin in the later evening and continue after the crescent Moon sets, if conditions allow. Greenwich gives an approximate moonset around 9.20pm near maximum, but local times vary. The shower can produce worthwhile activity before midnight, making it more accessible than an exclusively pre-dawn watch.
The Geminids are associated with asteroid 3200 Phaethon. Their radiant is in Gemini, but their streaks can cross a wide area of sky. NASA describes the shower as one of the more reliable annual displays.[6]
Figures such as 120 or 150 meteors per hour describe idealised peak conditions, not a guaranteed garden count. Clouds, haze, artificial lighting, the radiant’s height and the time you spend watching all matter. Do not let an exaggerated expectation spoil a good evening.
21 December: the winter solstice
The December solstice occurs on 21 December at 20:50 GMT. It marks the UK’s shortest day and the Northern Hemisphere’s astronomical start of winter. In the Southern Hemisphere, it marks the opposite seasonal turning point.[7]
There is no flash or sudden visual change at that precise minute. It is a moment in Earth’s seasonal geometry, associated with the hemisphere’s tilt away from the Sun. Daylight subsequently begins its gradual recovery; the latest sunrise and earliest sunset do not have to fall on the solstice itself.
22 December: Ursids, but moonlight limits the show
The Ursids are active from 17 to 26 December and reach maximum around 22 December. Their apparent origin is near Kochab in Ursa Minor; their debris comes from comet 8P/Tuttle. Even under good conditions, this is usually a modest shower, often described as producing around ten meteors an hour at peak.[8]
This year, an almost-full Moon is a substantial disadvantage. Brighter meteors may still show through, but the Ursids are a lower priority than the Geminids for a dedicated outing.[4]
What to do between the headline dates
November also offers Saturn in the evening and Venus in the morning. Saturn’s rings need a telescope; Venus itself is readily visible without one. The Astronomical Society of Edinburgh also recommends the Double Cluster between Perseus and Cassiopeia as a rewarding binocular target.[2]
You do not have to wait for a named event. A clear evening when you have time to look is often more valuable than a perfectly timed maximum hidden behind cloud.
A simple plan for a useful night outside
Choose a safe site away from bright lights, check cloud forecasts and give your eyes time to adjust. Put away the bright phone screen and watch a broad area of sky. For meteor showers, binoculars and telescopes are unnecessary; save them for specific targets.[3][6]
For dawn planet watching, finish binocular or telescope observations well before sunrise and never sweep near the Sun. Exact rise, set and compass directions vary across the UK, so use a location-specific planetarium chart before travelling.
For a first outing, the clearest choices are the Mars–Jupiter pairing before dawn on 16 November and a Geminid watch in mid-December. Keep the dates, choose the weather and take your time.
Sources and date notes
- International Meteor Organization: 2026 Meteor Shower Calendar (PDF), including predicted maxima and observing conditions.
- Astronomical Society of Edinburgh: Sky Diary November 2026, by Mark Phillips.
- Royal Observatory Greenwich: Leonid meteor shower—when and where to see it in the UK, 2026.
- The Planetary Society: Calendar of space events 2026.
- Royal Observatory Greenwich: Geminid meteor shower—when and where to see it in the UK, 2026.
- NASA Science: Geminids meteor shower—origin and observing advice.
- Time and Date: December solstice 2026—date, time and seasonal explanation.
- Royal Observatory Greenwich: Ursid meteor shower—when and where to see it in the UK, 2026.
Meteor forecasts can be revised, and published calendars sometimes label the same overnight peak with different dates. This guide names UK observing nights where useful and separates those opportunities from the predicted instant of maximum. Rates are not guarantees. Check the linked observatory and IMO updates closer to your chosen night.