Jedite’s Stargazing Guide –November 2025
November ordinarily offers cooler nights and clearer skies (especially away from city lights), which means good contrast for stars. From your Florida location (~28° N), you’ll still see plenty of northern sky, though some of the true southern-sky views will be lower on the horizon. As autumn deepens you’ll see the shift from autumn constellations into the early winter ones. Plus you’ve got a major full moon early in the month and some promising meteor activity. Let’s dig in.
Circumpolar Constellations (best between ~10:00 p.m.–1:00 a.m.)
These constellations remain above the horizon (or nearly so) through the night and are excellent reference points. For November evenings they’re still high and reliable.
1. Cassiopeia
Naked eye: Find the bright “W” or “M” shape high in the north. In November it remains very prominent. Wikipedia+2Constellation Guide+2
Binocular / Small Telescope: Use the “W” as a starting node to hop to other interesting regions (for example, the supernova remnant Cassiopeia A or other faint deep‐sky objects).
Why it matters: Cassiopeia gives you a strong visual anchor in the north, making orientation much easier when other constellations are low.
2. Cepheus
Naked eye: The house-shaped constellation just next to Cassiopeia — a little fainter, but glance northward and you’ll see it. Constellation Guide
Binocular / Small Telescope: With some patience you might try to pick up faint nebulae or clusters in Cepheus. It’s a good practice field for faint object hunting.
Tip: On nights when the Moon is bright, use Cepheus and Cassiopeia for easier orientation instead of chasing faint objects.
3. Draco
Naked eye: Look for a winding “dragon” of stars snaking between the Big Dipper/Ursa Major region and the north celestial pole. Medium+1
Binocular / Small Telescope: The long tail of Draco offers good star‐hopping paths; small telescopes can explore doubles or faint clusters along the arc.
Why include it: Having a constellation that arches across the north is helpful — it helps you trace the sky’s rotation and get comfortable.
Seasonal Constellations (East → South → West)
This month you’ll see constellations rising in the east early evening, then climbing high in the south, then setting toward the west as the night advances.
East: Pegasus
Naked eye: Early evening look eastwards and you’ll spot the “Great Square of Pegasus” — four stars forming a large square. This is a classic autumn marker. Almanac+1
Binocular / Small Telescope: From one corner of the square you can hop to interesting objects (for example a globular cluster, or other faint fuzzy). Use binoculars to sweep the area for patterns of stars.
Why start here: Pegasus rising signals the shift from summer/early‐autumn sky into deeper autumn.
South: Andromeda
Naked eye: Attached to one corner of the Square of Pegasus, Andromeda arches northeasterly. On dark nights you may spot the faint oval of the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) with the naked eye. Outer Space Universe+1
Binocular / Small Telescope: M31 becomes a brilliant binocular object — you’ll see its elongated shape, maybe companions M32 & M110 if the sky is dark. Also explore Andromeda’s chain of stars.
Why this is good: Andromeda gives you a cool “deep‐space” target that nearly everyone can access, making it satisfying for naked-eye + binocular sessions.
West: Orion (emerging)
Naked eye: By mid-to-late November the iconic constellation Orion begins to rise in the east then climbs through southern sky — though depending on time you may catch it toward the west later in the evening. EarthSky
Binocular / Small Telescope: Orion is full of rich targets — the Orion Nebula (M42), star clusters, bright stars with contrasting colours. Even a small telescope will reveal so much.
Why include Orion: It demarcates the arrival of more wintery constellations and gives strong bright stars to anchor your view.
Pro tip: On an evening ~10:00 p.m., face east and note Pegasus rising; then turn south and find Andromeda high; later in the night or later in November face west and see Orion (or near western horizon). The motion across the sky is a nice progression.
Moon – Phases & Noteworthy Dates
Here are the major lunar phases for November 2025:
Full Moon: November 5 (≈ 13:19 UTC) Royal Museums Greenwich+2TheSkyLive+2
Last (Third) Quarter: November 12 TheSkyLive+1
New Moon: November 20 TheSkyLive+1
First Quarter: November 28 TheSkyLive
Observing notes:
The Full Moon early in the month will brighten the nights — use it for moon‐observing (crater shadows, etc.) rather than faint stars.
The New Moon around November 20 provides one of the best windows of the month for dark‐sky observing, faint objects and meteor showers.
Use the waning moon nights (after full) to ease into darker skies and note how stars begin to pop as moonlight fades.
Planets – What to Spot This Month
Here are some planetary highlights for November 2025:
Jupiter: Rises later evening (~9 p.m. or so) and is becoming accessible in the east. Kenpress+1
Saturn: Visible in the evening sky, albeit fading and heading toward the horizon in coming weeks. On Nov 2 there is a close approach of Moon and Saturn (~3° apart) which is a nice visual. Astronomical Society of Edinburgh
Venus: Appears in the morning sky, rising before dawn, and makes a good target for early-morning watchers. When the Curves Line Up
Mercury: Has one of its better morning appearances of the year this month — for keen early risers near the horizon. When the Curves Line Up
Tips:
Use binoculars early morning for Venus and Mercury when the sky is still twilight.
For Jupiter and Saturn, set up later evening and let your eyes adjust; a small telescope will let you see moons or rings (Saturn’s rings gradually becoming edge‐on).
Make note of times when the Moon passes near a planet — these events are photogenic and fun.
Noteworthy Meteor Showers & Other Events
Leonids
Active: Early November through early December. Astronomical Society of Edinburgh+1
Peak: Around November 17 (with the Moon being a thin crescent or near new, so conditions are good). Planetary Society+1
Radiant: Near the constellation Leo.
Expectation: Possibly ~10-15 meteors per hour under good dark sky. Astronomical Society of Edinburgh
Tip: Best after midnight when Leo is higher; lie back and scan the sky rather than looking right at the radiant.
Other Noteworthy Events
On Nov 2, the nearly full Moon (≈89%) passes about 3° from Saturn — good for a binocular/telescope view. Astronomical Society of Edinburgh
There is mention of Uranus at opposition this month (making it brighter and easier to spot with binoculars or a small telescope) although it remains faint for naked‐eye spotting. Planetary Society
Tips & Tricks for November Observing
Layer up: Nights are cooler, especially during later sessions. A blanket or reclining chair is very helpful when lying back for meteors.
Dark skies matter: With the moon bright early in the month, try to pick nights either before the Moon rises or after it has set if you’re after faint objects or meteors.
Use your circumpolar anchors: Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Draco still serve as your north-sky guideposts. On nights when seasonal lights are low, these help you orient quickly.
Meteor posture: For Leonids, spread out, look anywhere between east and south after midnight. Let your view be wide; don’t fixate on the radiant.
Choose binoculars or telescope based on target:
Binoculars: Great for scanning constellations such as Andromeda, spotting the Andromeda Galaxy, or catching meteor trails.
Small telescope: Ideal for lunar detail (especially at first/last quarters), Jupiter’s moons, Saturn’s rings, or Uranus if you want a challenge.
Log your sessions: Note date, time, sky conditions (moon phase, cloud cover, light pollution), what you saw. This builds your “sky memory” over time.
Early morning watchers: If you’re up before dawn, check for Venus and Mercury near the horizon. Bring binoculars to help with low elevation viewing.
Use apps or star charts, but trust your eyes: Reference tools help, but try to learn patterns (star shapes, relative brightness) without always relying on the app — this builds your intuitive sky sense.
Final Thoughts
November 2025 is a rich month for stargazing: you have reliable circumpolar stars, seasonal constellations transitioning into winter, good lunar phases (especially the dark window around November 20), a meteor shower (Leonids) with favourable moon conditions, and prominent planets to spot. From your vantage in Florida, you’re positioned to enjoy many of these events comfortably. On your blog you might frame it like “November’s sky is the stage where autumn bows out and winter steps in” — keeping your retro/hacker/mystic tone alive.
