Stargazing Tenerife November 2026: What to See from Mount Teide

Andromeda Galaxy

November is an excellent month to discover one of the most extraordinary objects in our night sky.

The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is our nearest large galactic neighbour, approximately 2.5 million light-years from Earth.

Under suitably dark skies, Andromeda can appear as a faint, hazy patch of light without a telescope.

That little smudge contains hundreds of billions of stars.

And the light you're seeing began travelling towards Earth approximately 2.5 million years ago.

Meanwhile, we get impatient when a webpage takes four seconds to load. Perspective is a wonderful thing.

The Pleiades: The Seven Sisters

One of November's most beautiful star clusters is the Pleiades (M45), also known as the Seven Sisters.

Found in the constellation Taurus, this brilliant collection of young blue stars becomes increasingly prominent in the evening sky as November progresses.

Although commonly called the Seven Sisters, most people can see around six bright stars with the naked eye, depending on conditions.

The cluster actually contains many more. Through binoculars or a telescope, the Pleiades reveal a beautiful concentration of stars.

A favourite of astronomers, photographers and anyone who appreciates a little celestial sparkle.

The Double Cluster

Located between the constellations Perseus and Cassiopeia, the Double Cluster consists of two spectacular neighbouring open star clusters.

Both are rich in stars and particularly rewarding through binoculars or a telescope.



November's dark evenings provide excellent opportunities to explore this beautiful region of the Milky Way.

The Orion Nebula (M42)

Approximately 1,300 light-years away, this enormous cloud of gas and dust is a stellar nursery where new stars are being born.

It becomes increasingly accessible later in November, particularly on tours finishing later in the evening.

Through a telescope, its luminous central region can be a wonderful sight.

An entire star factory. No hard hats required.

Taurid Meteor Showers: November 5 and 12

The Taurids are famous for producing occasional bright, slow-moving meteors known as fireballs.

There are two overlapping streams:

• Southern Taurids: peak around November 5.
• Northern Taurids: peak around November 12.

Unlike some meteor showers, the Taurids aren't particularly prolific. Under ideal conditions, each stream generally produces only a handful of meteors per hour.

But what they lack in quantity, they can occasionally make up for in spectacle.

Some Taurid meteors are exceptionally bright.

The Northern Taurids benefit from favourable observing conditions in 2026, with New Moon occurring on November 9.

And because Taurus rises during the evening, there's a chance of seeing Taurid meteors during normal stargazing hours.

We can't promise a fireball. But we'd certainly be delighted if one dropped by.

Leonid Meteor Shower: November 17–18

The Leonid meteor shower reaches its peak overnight on November 17–18, 2026.

These fast-moving meteors originate from debris left behind by Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle.

The Leonids can produce around 10–15 meteors per hour under ideal conditions, although actual numbers vary.

The First Quarter Moon will brighten the early evening, but conditions improve after the Moon sets.

The best viewing opportunities are generally during the early hours of the morning, rather than during normal Night Skies Tenerife tour times.

And here's something remarkable.

The Leonids have occasionally produced spectacular meteor storms in the past.

We're not expecting one this November. But the universe does have a history of surprising us.

Saturn: Still Stealing the Show

Following its October opposition, Saturn remains one of November's standout evening planets.

Visible after sunset, the ringed planet is beautifully positioned for observation during the earlier part of the night.

To the naked eye, Saturn resembles a bright, steady point of light.

Through a telescope, its remarkable rings become visible.

And there's something rather magical about seeing Saturn for the first time.

It's more than a billion kilometres away.

Yet there it is, looking suspiciously perfect. No, we haven't put a photograph inside the telescope. We promise.

Uranus at Opposition: November 25

Uranus reaches opposition on November 25, 2026, making this one of the best times of the year to observe the distant ice giant.

At opposition, Earth lies approximately between Uranus and the Sun, placing the planet opposite the Sun in our sky.

Uranus rises around sunset and remains visible throughout the night.



Under exceptionally dark conditions, it is technically close to the limit of naked-eye visibility, but binoculars or a telescope are far more practical.

Through suitable equipment, Uranus can appear as a tiny blue-green disc.

At nearly three billion kilometres from the Sun, it's a remarkable world to observe. Suddenly the journey up Mount Teide doesn't seem quite so far.

Orion: The Hunter Returns

One of the most famous constellations in the night sky is back.

Orion becomes increasingly visible during November, particularly later in the evening.

Its three-star belt is unmistakable.

Look for brilliant blue-white Rigel and reddish Betelgeuse, two stars with very different personalities.

Orion also contains the extraordinary Orion Nebula, one of the sky's most famous stellar nurseries. Winter's favourite celebrity has arrived.

Auriga

Auriga, the Charioteer, becomes increasingly prominent towards winter.

Its brilliant star Capella is one of the brightest stars in the northern sky.

Auriga also contains several beautiful open star clusters.



A wonderful reminder that the winter sky is beginning to arrive.

Cassiopeia

The distinctive W-shaped constellation Cassiopeia remains prominent in the northern sky.



It's a wonderful starting point for exploring the Milky Way and finding the nearby Double Cluster.

Perseus

Perseus climbs high into November's evening sky.



Rich in stars and deep-sky objects, it's particularly rewarding for telescope observations.

Pegasus and Andromeda

The Great Square of Pegasus remains a familiar autumn landmark.



Nearby Andromeda contains the magnificent Andromeda Galaxy, one of the highlights of November stargazing.

Frequently Asked Questions About Stargazing in Tenerife in November