What’s Up in Denver? November 17th through 23rd, 2025

Here’s a brief look at what’s going on in the Mile High City this week.

November 17:

Check out the waning crescent Beaver Moon next to Spica low in early morning eastern sky in the constellation Virgo.

November 18:

The Cosmic Romance Behind the Formation of Pluto and its Moon Charon with Dr. Adeene Denton

Amateur Astronomers Association: The Cosmic Romance Behind the Formation of Pluto and its Moon Charon with Dr. Adeene Denton: Virtual Program via Zoom (registration required): 5:00 PM
The Leonid Meteor Shower Peaks: Look for this shower in the eastern skies radiating close to the star Regulus early in the morning as Leo rises.

November 19:

Dark Skies & Deep Space: Leonids & Winter’s First Stars

Boulder Open Space Mountain Parks: Dark Skies & Deep Space: Leonids & Winter’s First Stars – Star Party: In-person program at 📍Beech Shelter, Left Hand Valley Reservoir, Boulder: 4:15
Astrophotography Special Interest Group (ASIG) – Advanced Image Processing: Free virtual program for DAS members – check Slack or your membership email for details: 7:00 PM
The Moon reaches apogee (its farthest distance from Earth at 406,691km): 8:00 PM
New Cold Moon: 11:47 PM

November 20:

Inside the Rubin Observatory with Dr. Clare Higgs

Standley Lake Stargazing: Inside the Rubin Observatory with Dr. Clare Higgs: Free virtual program via Zoom or in-person at 📍Standley Lake Library, Arvada: 6:00 PM
NASA Night Sky Network: How the Sun Makes Waves Out to Interstellar Space: Unexpected Findings from the Voyagers with Dr. Jamie Rankin: Virtual program via Zoom (registration required): 7:00 PM
Mercury at inferior conjunction with the Sun as our innermost planet passes into the morning sky: 2:00 AM

November 21 (Dark Sky Weekend):

Uranus reaches opposition making it its brightest in the night sky tonight. Look for this distant ice giant with a telescope in the constellation Taurus just to the south of the Pleiades in the eastern sky around 6:15 PM.

November 22 (Dark Sky Weekend):

Standley Lake Indoor Star Party: Free in-person program at📍Majestic View Nature Center, Arvada: 5:30 PM

November 23 (Dark Sky Weekend):

Look for the waxing crescent Cold Moon in the handle of the Teapot asterism just above the southwestern horizon after sunset in the constellation Sagittarius.
Mercury at Perihelion: 4:00 AM

This Week’s Meteoric Activity:

You can keep track of the activity of meteor showers as well as those beyond the limits of visual observing by visiting the NASA Meteor Shower Portal.

Leonids (LEO): Last hour before dawn in northwestern Leo — 5 per hour.
Northern Taurids (NTA): 1:00 AM in western Taurus — 2 per hour.
Southern Taurids (STA): 1:00 AM in western Taurus — 1 per hour.
Omicron Eridanids (OER): 1:00 AM in eastern Eridanus — Less than 1 per hour.
Andromedids (AND): 11:00 PM in southern Andromeda — Less than 1 per hour.
Southern Chi Orionids (ORS): 1:00 AM in central Taurus — Less than 1 per hour.
November Orionids (NOO): 2:00 AM on the Orion/Taurus border — Less than 1 per hour.
Rho Puppids (RPU): Last dark hour before dawn in northeastern Pyxis — Less than 1 per hour.
Kappa Ursae Majorids (KUM): Last hour before dawn in southwestern Ursa Major — Less than 1 per hour.
Alpha Monocerotids (AMO): Last hours before dawn on the Canis Minor/Monoceros border — Far less than 1 per hour (except rare outbursts).