Best Astrophotography Dates in November 2025: Night Sky Calendar
- Ryan Oswald
- Oct 23
- 3 min read
What to shoot in the night sky in November 2025
November is deep-sky season. The Milky Way core is not visible at night this month, so shift to Orion, galaxies & nebulae (Andromeda, Triangulum, Pleiades, California Nebula, Orion Complex). Meteor activity features the Taurids & the Leonids and Uranus reaches opposition on Nov 21. Moon phases: Full Nov 5 and New Nov 20.
Top Astrophotography Nights — November 2025
Deep-sky prime (green): Nov 16–24 (dark skies, centered on New Moon Nov 20).
Good (yellow): Nov 25–27 (thin crescent; good early evening)
Marginal (yellow): Nov 12–15 (late waning crescent—OK after moonset)
Skip vs. quality (red): Nov 1–11 (gibbous→full) and Nov 28–30 (bright evening moon).
Milky Way core: not visible this month. Use this window for tracked deep-sky and Orion rising after midnight.
Meteor Showers
Southern Taurids
Peak: Night of Nov 4-5 (around midnight)
Active Window: late Oct – mid-Nov
Best Time to Shoot: ~10:00 PM to pre-dawn
Expected Rate: Low (~5/hr) but fireball-prone; full moon reduces faint meteors this year.
Northern Taurids
Peak Night: Nov 9–12 (broad)
Active Window: Oct 20 – Dec 10
Best Time to Shoot: ~10:00 PM to pre-dawn
Expected Rate: Low (~5/hr); occasional bright fireballs; some moon interference mid-month.
Leonids
Peak Night: Nov 17–18 (late night to pre-dawn)
Active Window: Nov 3 – Dec 2
Best Time to Shoot: After midnight → dawn (radiant climbs in Leo)
Expected Rate: ~10–20/hr in dark skies; waning crescent = favorable this year.
Days You Can Shoot the Milky Way Core in November
0
Milky Way core: Not visible in November (Moab latitude).
Deep-sky nights (use instead):
Green (prime): Nov 16–24
Yellow (good): Nov 25–27, Nov 12–15
Red (skip): Nov 1–11, Nov 28–30
Total prime deep-sky nights: 9 (Nov 16–24).
Notes
Orion, Taurus, Perseus dominate late-night: M42/Running Man, Horsehead/Flame, Pleiades (M45), California Nebula (NGC 1499), Andromeda (M31), Triangulum (M33).
Moon Phases
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FULL MOON
NOVEMBER 5
Best Time to Shoot the Moon: After moonrise Nov 5 (Beaver's Moon named due to time of year beavers build their winter dam.)
Direction in Sky: Rising in the East (sets in the West near sunrise).
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NEW MOON
NOVEMBER 20
Planets
Uranus at Opposition — Fri, Nov 21 (visible all night; binocular/telescope target near Aries).
Saturn: still well placed in the evening sky.
Deep-sky “Bridge” Targets (ready-to-shoot)
Tips & Guides
New-moon stretch (Nov 16–24): Prioritize M31/M33/Pleiades/California before Orion gets high; switch to Orion/Horsehead after midnight.
Taurids: Slow, bright fireballs—run 10–20 s timelapses between deep-sky sets.
Leonids: Face E→SE after midnight Nov 17–18; include foreground dunes or hoodoos; expect fast meteors.
Uranus opposition (Nov 21): Easy binocular pickup; telephoto stack a tiny teal disc near Aries
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FAQ: Astrophotography in November
Can I still shoot the Milky Way core in November?
No—the core is not visible at night this month from Moab; shoot deep-sky instead.
When are the best dark nights?
Nov 16–24 around New Moon (Nov 20).
Which meteor shower should I plan around?
Leonids (Nov 17–18) for speed and dark skies; Taurids for occasional fireballs.
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