Meteor Showers and Bright Planets Illuminate Oregon, Washington and Coastal Skies

Published 11/13/2026 at 9:58 p.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Vancouver, Washington) – Stargazers in Oregon and Washington are in for an eyeful above with two opportunities to catch a celestial show in mid-November as a close pairing of Mars and Jupiter is followed by the annual Leonid meteor shower. Above: Hug Point near Cannon Beach. What you can catch from the Oregon coast or Washington coast will depend on weather, but when it's clear it's much clearer than inland.

According to OMSI space expert Jim Todd, Mars and Jupiter will appear unusually close together in the pre-dawn sky on Nov. 15 and 16. While the planets reach their closest apparent separation at 6:04 p.m. PST on Nov. 15, the event will be best viewed before sunrise when both worlds are above the horizon in the east-southeast sky.

“The two planets will shine just 1.2 degrees apart, roughly twice the width of a full moon, or the width of your little finger held at arm's length,” Todd told Oregon Coast Beach Connection. “They will appear in the heart of the constellation Leo, sitting near the bright star Regulus. Jupiter will shine much brighter with a steady, creamy-white light, while Mars will glow nearby as a distinct reddish-orange point.”

The pair will be visible to the naked eye and close enough to fit within the same field of view through binoculars or a low-power telescope, Todd said.

Mars and Jupiter in close conjunction at 1:30 a.m. PST Nov. 16

Then, get set for some meteor action.

Just two days later, the Leonid meteor shower reaches its peak from late Nov. 17 through dawn on Nov. 18. The annual shower, which runs from Nov. 3 through Dec. 2, typically produces about 15 meteors per hour at its peak and is known for bright fireballs and lingering glowing trails called persistent trains.

Pacific Northwest Weather | Oregon, Washington, Coastline (see NW from space) |---| Washington Coast Weather |---| Oregon Coast Weather |---| Inland Oregon Weather

The Leonids occur each year as Earth passes through debris left behind by Comet Tempel-Tuttle. As the comet's dust and rocky particles enter Earth's atmosphere, they burn up and create the streaks of light seen from the ground, Todd said.

He also noted the shower takes its name from the constellation Leo, where the meteors appear to originate.

Planets seen from the Oregon coast at Seaside.

“The prime viewing window is during the second half of the night - roughly from 2:00 a.m. local time until morning twilight – once Leo climbs higher into the eastern sky and the first-quarter moon has set,” Todd said. “Find a dark spot with a wide, unobstructed view of the sky away from city lights. No special equipment is needed, though binoculars can help you get a closer look at lingering meteor trails.”

Those interested in learning more about current celestial events can attend OMSI's Starry Night Live! presentation, offered daily in the Kendall Planetarium. Additional information and schedules are available at OMSI.edu.

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