Skies over Indonesia will host the peak of the Leonid meteor shower during the early hours of November 18, 2026, as Earth crosses the orbital trail of comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle.
Afu.id reported that the annual shower remains active from November 6 through November 30, 2026. November 2026 will be an interesting month for night sky lovers, with several astronomical phenomena scheduled to adorn the skies throughout the month, ranging from several planetary alignments, two meteor shower peaks, a planetary parade, to the appearance of a supermoon.
Peak Timing and Visibility
The International Meteor Organization calculated the absolute peak for November 17 at 23:45 UTC, which corresponds to 06:45 WIB on Wednesday, November 18, when daylight already obscures the stars across Indonesia. Observers must instead look during the predawn hours before that official peak.
Observers can watch the skies from the night of Tuesday, November 17, until dawn on Wednesday, November 18. Afu.id noted that the radiant point in the constellation Leo rises around 01:00 local time.
The best viewing window runs from 02:00 until dawn as the radiant climbs higher. Afu.id noted that Leonid meteors travel fast and frequently produce bright streaks of light. Under certain conditions, meteors can also display colors when entering Earth’s atmosphere.
Moonlight Sets Before Optimal Viewing Hours Begin
The Moon reaches its first quarter phase on November 17 with roughly half of its disk illuminated. Afu.id reported that the Moon sets before midnight, leaving dark skies during the optimal viewing hours.
The International Meteor Organization estimates a zenithal hourly rate of fifteen meteors per hour under perfect dark-sky conditions. NASA expects observers under dark skies to spot fewer than three meteors per hour, while urban light pollution will reduce that count further. Particules hit the atmosphere at a speed of about 71 kilometers per second, making many Leonid meteors leave trails of light that linger for a few seconds in the sky.
Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle Produces Periodic Meteor Storms
Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle measures about 3.6 kilometers in diameter and orbits the Sun every 33 years. Ernst Tempel and Horace Tuttle discovered the comet independently in 1865 and 1866, according to Afu.id.
The 33-year cycle occasionally produces meteor storms with thousands of meteors per hour. The 1833 and 1966 storms brought rates of dozens of meteors per second, but the International Meteor Organization projects no outburst this year because the comet will not return near the Sun until 2031. The last Leonid storm occurred in the early 2000s, with a final peak in 2002.
View the Sky Without Telescopes in Dark Locations
Observers need no telescopes or binoculars to watch the Leonids. Afu.id recommended choosing a dark location away from city lights with an open view toward the east, allowing twenty to thirty minutes for eyes to adapt to the dark.
Avoiding mobile phone screens and lying down on a mat or folding chair helps observers view the sky longer without fatigue. If a meteor’s trail is traced backward and points to the constellation Leo, it is very likely a Leonid meteor.
November brings the rainy season to most parts of Indonesia, creating the primary obstacle for stargazers. If clouds block the view on the peak night, observers can try the nights of November 16–17 or November 18–19 because the activity spreads across multiple days.
Other November 2026 Astronomical Events
The positions of the Moon, Mars, and Jupiter formed a straight line on November 2–3, 2026, very close to the star Regulus. The Southern Taurids meteor shower reached its peak from November 4 to November 5, 2026, originating from Asteroid 2004 TG10 and Comet 2P Encke, producing slow-moving but very bright fireballs in the darkness of night with an intensity of about 5 to 10 meteors per hour. Mid-November 2026 brought a planetary parade between November 14 and November 16, where Mars and Jupiter appeared close together in the southern sky at a distance of about one degree, while Mercury and Venus were visible above the southeastern horizon before sunrise, alongside Uranus. Mercury reached its greatest western elongation from the Sun on November 20, 2026, north of Venus.
Uranus reached opposition on November 25–26, 2026, in the constellation Taurus between the stars Aldebaran and the Pleiades at a distance of 1.7 billion miles from Earth with a magnitude of 5.6. Neptune remained 7 degrees from Saturn throughout the month in the southern constellation Pisces with a magnitude of 7.7.
Saturn was clearly visible since early evening in the constellation Cetus with a magnitude of 0.5, while its primary satellite Titan was closest to the planet on November 8, 16, and 24, 2026, and Dione and Tethys performed transits. Venus reached peak brightness on November 29, 2026, with a magnitude of -4.9 and a 27 percent illuminated phase. Finally, the Beaver Moon supermoon occurred on November 24 at 21:55 WIB.
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