Your guide to this month’s constellation and meteor show

November is expected to be a memorable one, especially if you consider yourself a frequent onlooker of the scintillating masterpieces in the starry night sky, or simply a casual hiker in the wilderness.

And unlike other months, November is set to be jam-packed with constellational activity.

Either way, you should know of the upcoming late night performances that mother nature has to offer this month including a super moon—the closest the moon gets to Earth’s orbit. This year’s super moon will be the largest in over five decades, which will occur on Nov 14.

But that’s only part of the splendor in store for you in the next four weeks. So break out the camping equipment, binoculars and mosquito repellant to prepare for some of the greatest sights in your lifetime.

Perhaps one of the more exhilarating scenes is set to occur on late Nov 11, which will mark the starting point of the North Taurid meteor shower. This will roughly correlate to about one meteor every eight minutes. It should be noted that this timeframe is being labeled as a moderate meteor shower that is considered slow-moving but very refulgent against the vast backdrop of space. The optimal time to view the shower will be around midnight.

Throughout the end of the month, viewers will be seeing more planets in the form of Mercury, Saturn, and Jupiter—the largest planet in our solar system which is 1,120% the size of earth and has a radius of 43,441 miles. On Nov 23, Mercury can be spotted in closer than usual proximity to Saturn during sunset.

But that only plays a minor role in preparing for the grand finale of the month.

On Nov 25, the crescent moon will be extremely close to Jupiter just before sunrise—a awe-inspiring sight to behold.

While it’s largely a bucolic area that may take some considerable driving time, we suggest heading to the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in Borrego Springs along with the Observer’s Inn in Julian for the best viewing points. And while the latter area is not especially known for its stargazing locations, the isolated town sits beneath a dark sky on consistent basis—perfect for the best stargazing experience.

Then again, who said that all outdoor experiences have to be set in a pastoral background? If you don’t favor that kind of environment, then Balboa Park offers some great places to view the captivating scenery. And if you elect to stay indoors, then the Fleet Science Center can take you through elaborate grandeur of the universe.