Derekscope

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Your guide to
the night sky this month,
and a guide for binoculars
telescope, & smart scope.
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Click the blue link
below for more information

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2026 November

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Occultation: Moon & Messier 45

• The Moon passes directly in front of some of the Pleiades stars.
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• From the UK, the event is primarily late Tuesday night into the early hours of Wednesday 28 October.
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• The Moon will be waning gibbous, only about two days after the 26 October Full Moon.
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• Because the Moon will be very bright, binoculars or a small telescope will make the occultation much easier to see.
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The Moon at perigee

• The Moon reaches perigee ~ the closest point in its orbit from Earth.
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• The Moon appears slightly smaller and dimmer in the sky compared to perigee.
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Overnight: the Moon progressively moves across the M45 region.

• On Tuesday 27th October 2026, the Moon will be moving through the Seven Sisiter or Pleiades (M45) during the evening and into the early hours of Wednesday 28th October.
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• The Moon is about 99% illuminated, so it will be extremely bright and will make the fainter M45 stars harder to see.
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• If you’re planning to photograph it, the sequence from roughly 10 pm to 3 am UK time should be particularly interesting as the Moon changes position relative to M45.
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Full Moon

• The Full Moon will appear essentially full on the evening of Sunday 25th October as well as the night of Monday 26th October, because the exact full phase occurs early Monday in the constellation Aries (The Ram.)
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Daylight Savings

• The clocks go back on Sunday, 25th October to mark the end of British Summer Time (BST) and return the UK to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), shifting the time from 2am back to 1am.
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• For stargazers and astronomers, moving the clocks back means darkness arrives earlier in the evening, which is highly beneficial, because it allows for much earlier night sky viewing and astrophotography sessions.
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• The Reasons for the October Clock Change

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Moon Near Saturn

• The Moon makes a close approach to Saturn in the night sky.
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• The two will appear relatively close together in the constellation Cetus.
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• The Moon will be a waxing gibbous, heading toward the Full Moon on 26 October.
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• It’s a lovely pairing to look for after sunset, with Saturn appearing as a steady point of light near the bright Moon.
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Venus at inferior solar conjunction

• At this point, Venus disappears into the Sun’s glare as it transitions from the evening sky to the morning sky.
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• It marks an important turning point in Venus’s cycle, from setting after the Sun to eventually rising before the Sun.

Orionids

• The Orionids are one of the most spectacular annual meteor showers, created by debris left behind by Halley’s Comet as Earth passes through its trail.
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• For the best chance of seeing them, find a dark location away from city lights, allow your eyes time to adjust, and look towards a wide area of the sky.
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• No telescope is needed – just patience and clear skies!

• Orioninds Meteor Shower 2026
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  – Beginning to ending date: 2nd October to 7th November
  – Peak Date: 21st October
  – Rating: Strong
  – Zenith Hourly Rate (ZHR): around 20 per hour
  – Radiant Position: RA: 06h 24m / DEC: +15°
  – Degrees: 096º  (Face: East)
  – Comet: Comet 1P/Halley
  – Note: Fast meteors, many with trains / Good in 2006.
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The Moon’s Jewelled Handle

(Photo above The Jewelled Handle ~ Image by Derek Rowley)
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• The Jewelled Handle or Golden Handle
  The Moon’s Golden Handle is visible from the UK once each lunar month, roughly 2-4 days after First Quarter Moon, when the Sun grazes the Montes Jura and lights their peaks while Sinus Iridum is still in darkness ~ this creates the bright “handle” effect along the terminator.
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• After the First Quarter Moon (half-moonlit), the Moon increases towards the Full Moon in the waxing gibbous phase ~ the time when the Jewelled handle shines brightest.
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• This effect is only visible for a few days each month ~ roughly 2-4 days after the first quarter Moon.
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• Equipment
  You will need a small telescope or binoculars (8×42 or 10×50) are enough to show the arc beautifully.
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