As autumn gives way to winter, the nights grow longer, making this an ideal timeto enjoy the night sky. November offers several exciting celestial events, including theconjunction of Jupiter and the Moon on November 3 (Tuesday), the close approach ofMars and Jupiter on November 15 (Sunday), and the peak of the Leonid meteor shower onNovember 18 (Wednesday). All of these events can be enjoyed with the naked eye. Inaddition, Uranus reaches opposition on November 26 (Thursday), offering the bestopportunity of the year to spot this distant planet. On clear nights, step outside and enjoythese celestial highlights against the beautiful late-autumn sky.The first event of the month is the Jupiter–Moon conjunction, which occurs at7:09 a.m. on November 3. The two objects will appear just 0.53 degrees apart, roughly thewidth of a full Moon. Since the conjunction takes place during daylight, the best time toobserve them is before sunrise. The waning gibbous Moon and brilliant Jupiter will bevisible to the naked eye, with reddish Mars shining nearby. As dawn approaches, Jupiterand the Moon will appear increasingly close together.On November 15, Mars and Jupiter will appear in conjunction, with an apparentseparation of approximately 1.25 degrees. For several nights before and after the event,the two planets can be spotted in the eastern sky from late night until dawn. BrilliantJupiter, shining at magnitude -2.1 with a yellowish-white hue, will appear alongsidereddish Mars at magnitude 0.7, making the pair easy to identify.The annual Leonid meteor shower is expected to peak on November 18, with a zenithalhourly rate (ZHR) of approximately 15 meteors per hour. Leonid meteors are known fortheir exceptionally high speeds, traveling at around 71 kilometers per second, andoccasionally leaving bright, persistent trails across the sky. The radiant rises aroundmidnight, when moonlight will no longer interfere with observations, providing favorableviewing conditions. Meteor activity is expected to increase toward dawn. The TaipeiAstronomical Museum recommends photographing the meteor shower as well. With someluck, you may even capture a stunning image of a meteor streaking across the skyalongside Mars and Jupiter.Distant Uranus will reach opposition on November 26, making it brightest andeasiest to locate during the year. It will be visible throughout the night. During the weeksurrounding opposition, Uranus will shine at approximately magnitude 5.6. Although thisis theoretically bright enough to be seen with the naked eye under excellent dark-skyconditions, binoculars or a telescope, together with a star chart, are recommended toidentify it. Through a telescope, Uranus displays a distinctive pale blue-green color.Other celestial events worth watching include Venus approaching Spica on November 11(Wednesday) and Mercury reaching its greatest western elongation on November 21(Saturday). For more information about November's celestial events, please visit theTaipei Astronomical Museum website.