Constellations by month

Constellations of November

The six constellations at their best in November are Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Phoenix, Pisces, Sculptor and Tucana. The charts show the whole sky at 9 pm on November 15 from 40°N and 35°S. The Leonids and Southern Taurids peak this month.

The sky at 9 pm in mid-November from 40°N PISCES ANDROMEDA CASSIOPEIA SCULPTOR PHOENIX CETUS ERIDANUS PEGASUS DRACO AQUARIUS CYGNUS TAURUS CAMELOPARDALIS AURIGA AQUILA PERSEUS ORION CEPHEUS LYNX GEMINI ARIES CAPRICORNUS FORNAX LYRA VULPECULA URSA MINOR PISCIS AUSTRINUS LACERTA DELPHINUS SAGITTA N S E W
From 40°N (the United States, southern Europe, northern China, Japan). North at top; turn the chart so the direction you face is at the bottom.
The sky at 9 pm in mid-November from 35°S PISCES ANDROMEDA SCULPTOR PHOENIX TUCANA CETUS ERIDANUS PEGASUS AQUARIUS SAGITTARIUS TAURUS PUPPIS CARINA ARIES CAPRICORNUS FORNAX CANIS MAJOR PAVO GRUS INDUS OCTANS LEPUS TELESCOPIUM HOROLOGIUM PICTOR HYDRUS ARA MICROSCOPIUM APUS DELPHINUS DORADO NORMA MENSA VOLANS MUSCA TRIANGULUM CORONA AUSTRALIS CAELUM SCUTUM CIRCINUS EQUULEUS CRUX S N W E
From 35°S (Sydney, Cape Town, Buenos Aires). South at top; the center is overhead and the rim is the horizon.

Bright lines and names: constellations at their best in November. Gold dashes: the ecliptic, where the Moon and planets travel. 9 pm local standard time on November 15; the same view comes an hour earlier at the end of the month and an hour later at the start. Click a name to open its chart.

Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Phoenix, Pisces, Sculptor and Tucana are at their best in November

A constellation is at its best when it stands highest in the evening, due south from the northern hemisphere or due north from the southern. The last two columns give its height above the horizon at 9 pm in mid-November.

ConstellationMeaningHemisphereBrightest starMessierAt 40°NAt 35°S
AndromedaDaughter of CepheusNorthernAlpheratz383°12°
CassiopeiaMother of AndromedaNorthernSchedar272°below horizon
PhoenixPhoenixSouthernAnkaa7°80°
PiscesFishesNorthernAlpherg163°39°
SculptorSculptorSouthernAlpha Sculptoris17°83°
TucanaToucanSouthernAlpha Tucanaebelow horizon58°

Constellations more than 20° high at 9 pm in November

Measured at the center of each constellation. Large constellations can be partly visible when their center is lower.

From 40°N: 21 constellations

From 35°S: 35 constellations

Meteor showers peaking in November

Rates are the zenithal hourly rate, the count one observer would see under a dark sky with the radiant overhead; real counts are lower. Peak dates move by about a day from year to year.

ShowerPeakActiveRate per hourRadiantParent body
LeonidsNov 17Nov 6 - Nov 3015Leo55P/Tempel-Tuttle
Southern TauridsNov 5Sep 20 - Nov 207Taurus2P/Encke (Taurid complex)
Northern TauridsNov 12Oct 20 - Dec 105Taurus2P/Encke (Taurid complex)
November OrionidsNov 28Nov 13 - Dec 63Orion
AndromedidsNov 14Andromeda3D/Biela
chi TauridsNov 2Taurus
alpha MonocerotidsNov 22Nov 15 - Nov 25Monoceros

Video: November stargazing

November Stargazing: Constellations & Meteor Showers · Watch on YouTube

Constellations month by month

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