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ScienceQuiet 8d · day 11

BBC previews five sky events for autumn 2026, from Orionids to a supermoon

A meteor shower, a four-planet gathering and a run of supermoons highlight the northern hemisphere's darkening skies this autumn.

newest coverage 8d agosummary written 11d ago15 pieces101 likes & upvotes1 comments NewswiresMastodonBlueskyGoogle News

What to know

  • The Orionid meteor shower peaks around 21 October, followed by the Leonids around 17 November.
  • A rare pre-dawn gathering of Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter is expected around 14 November.
  • November's full Beaver Moon will be a supermoon, the first of four consecutive supermoons.
  • The Pleiades star cluster becomes increasingly easy to spot in the eastern evening sky as autumn nights lengthen.

BBC News publisher of the skywatching guide

BBC previews five sky events for autumn 2026, from Orionids to a supermoon
bbc.co.uk

How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articlesposts

Peak 9 pieces in 3h at Sep 12, 7 PM; 15 pieces over 12 days (11 articles · 4 posts) Sep 12, 7 PM — 9 pieces · 8 articles · 1 post — Google News 4, Newswires 4, Mastodon 1Sep 12, 10 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Bluesky 1Sep 13, 1 AM — quietSep 13, 4 AM — quietSep 13, 7 AM — quietSep 13, 10 AM — quietSep 13, 1 PM — quietSep 13, 4 PM — quietSep 13, 7 PM — quietSep 13, 10 PM — quietSep 14, 1 AM — quietSep 14, 4 AM — quietSep 14, 7 AM — 3 pieces · 2 articles · 1 post — Newswires 2, Mastodon 1Sep 14, 10 AM — quietSep 14, 1 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Mastodon 1Sep 14, 4 PM — quietSep 14, 7 PM — quietSep 14, 10 PM — quietSep 15, 1 AM — quietSep 15, 4 AM — quietSep 15, 7 AM — quietSep 15, 10 AM — quietSep 15, 1 PM — quietSep 15, 4 PM — quietSep 15, 7 PM — quietSep 15, 10 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 16, 1 AM — quietSep 16, 4 AM — quietSep 16, 7 AM — quietSep 16, 10 AM — quietSep 16, 1 PM — quietSep 16, 4 PM — quietSep 16, 7 PM — quietSep 16, 10 PM — quietSep 17, 1 AM — quietSep 17, 4 AM — quietSep 17, 7 AM — quietSep 17, 10 AM — quietSep 17, 1 PM — quietSep 17, 4 PM — quietSep 17, 7 PM — quietSep 17, 10 PM — quietSep 18, 1 AM — quietSep 18, 4 AM — quietSep 18, 7 AM — quietSep 18, 10 AM — quietSep 18, 1 PM — quietSep 18, 4 PM — quietSep 18, 7 PM — quietSep 18, 10 PM — quietSep 19, 1 AM — quietSep 19, 4 AM — quietSep 19, 7 AM — quietSep 19, 10 AM — quietSep 19, 1 PM — quietSep 19, 4 PM — quietSep 19, 7 PM — quietSep 19, 10 PM — quietSep 20, 1 AM — quietSep 20, 4 AM — quietSep 20, 7 AM — quietSep 20, 10 AM — quietSep 20, 1 PM — quietSep 20, 4 PM — quietSep 20, 7 PM — quietSep 20, 10 PM — quietSep 21, 1 AM — quietSep 21, 4 AM — quietSep 21, 7 AM — quietSep 21, 10 AM — quietSep 21, 1 PM — quietSep 21, 4 PM — quietSep 21, 7 PM — quietSep 21, 10 PM — quietSep 22, 1 AM — quietSep 22, 4 AM — quietSep 22, 7 AM — quietSep 22, 10 AM — quietSep 22, 1 PM — quietSep 22, 4 PM — quietSep 22, 7 PM — quietSep 22, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 1 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 7 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 1 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 7 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quietToday, 1 AM — quietToday, 4 AM — quiet 1
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  1. upcoming

    Leonid meteor shower peaks — The Leonids, among the fastest meteors visible from Earth at about 70km per second, are expected to peak around 17 November, with 10-15 an hour visible under ideal dark-sky conditions.

  2. upcoming

    November supermoon rises as the Beaver Moon — November's full moon, known as the Beaver Moon, will appear as a supermoon, the first in a run of four consecutive supermoons.

  3. upcoming

    Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter gather before dawn — Early risers could see all four planets above the horizon before sunrise around 14 November, though Mercury will be hard to spot low near the sun's glare while Venus and Jupiter should be easy to pick out.

  4. upcoming

    Orionid meteor shower reaches its peak — Active from early October into November, the Orionids peak around 21 October as Earth passes through debris left by Halley's comet, appearing to radiate from the constellation Orion.

  5. background

    Pleiades star cluster grows more prominent in evening sky — As autumn nights lengthen, the Pleiades (Seven Sisters), about 440 light years away, become increasingly visible in the east during evenings, in the constellation Taurus.

  6. 1

    BBC publishes autumn night sky guide

    BBC News runs a feature listing five astronomical highlights to watch for through autumn 2026, from meteor showers to a November supermoon.

    “Five night sky events to look out for this autumn. 🔭 🧪…”
    — davidbflower.bsky.social, Bluesky user sharing the article · source
    1. 3 outlets Five night sky events to look out for this autumn

      first by Yahoo Lifestyle Canada, 11d ago · also BBC, BBC Science

      1 more headline
    2. 2 outlets From meteor showers to a supermoon: 5 spectacular night sky events to watch out for this autumn

      first by Business Today, 11d ago · also BBC Science

      1 more headline