Astrology

The moon briefly hid Jupiter from view across parts of Asia and Oceania.

The moon briefly blocked Jupiter from view on the morning of November 3, 2026, for observers in parts of Asia, Australia and New Zealand, EarthSky reports. Astronomers call the event a lunar occultation: the moon passes between an observer and another object, hiding it from sight.

Michael Teoh photographed Jupiter disappearing behind the moon from Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia, according to EarthSky. The outlet reports that another lunar occultation of Jupiter is due at the end of November, with visibility again depending on location.

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The moon joined the morning lineup#

Mars and Jupiter had been drawing closer for weeks as Mars caught up with Jupiter, BBC Sky at Night Magazine reports. At the start of November, the planets were 5.7 degrees apart. Along with Regulus, they appeared in a roughly evenly spaced line.

On November 1, the moon was in line with Mars and Jupiter, according to BBC Sky at Night Magazine. The magazine put the moon's illumination at 57% that morning and said Jupiter was brighter than Mars and Regulus.

Astronomy.com reports that Mars rose soon after midnight on November 1, followed by Jupiter about 30 minutes later. The magazine also placed the moon 1.5 degrees from Mars on November 2.

Mars and Jupiter draw closer#

Jupiter is rising late at night in November and remains visible until sunrise, EarthSky reports. It appears near Mars and Regulus, the brightest star in Leo. The two planets are moving closer together in the sky, with EarthSky putting their closest approach on November 15.

Astronomy.com reports that Mars and Jupiter rise close together in Leo and meet in a conjunction, an apparent close pairing in the sky, near Regulus. On November 15, Mars is 1.2 degrees north of Jupiter, according to the magazine.

The planets also appear near the radiant point of the Leonid meteor shower, the point from which its meteors seem to emerge, EarthSky reports. The shower reaches its peak on November 17-18, after the planets' closest approach.

EarthSky reports that the moon returns to Jupiter's vicinity on November 29 and 30, with Mars and Regulus appearing below them. On November 30, the moon passes in front of Jupiter for some observers in the southern globe, including people in southern Argentina and Chile.

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