Sean Batty: Five weather and astronomy highlights to look out for in November

As we step into November, plenty is happening both in the skies above and here on the ground.

From dazzling celestial displays to the first hints of winter chill, here are five weather and astronomy highlights to look out for this month.

A Bonfire Night supermoon

Look up on Bonfire Night, not just for the fireworks, but for the biggest and brightest moon of the year.

The Bonfire Supermoon will appear around 8% larger than usual, as the Moon moves closer to Earth – about 221,000 miles away to be exact.

It’s a striking sight that will add extra sparkle to the November 5 celebrations.

The return of the Christmas Star

Later in the month, stargazers will be treated to the reappearance of the Christmas Star, also known as Sirius or the Dog Star.

One of the brightest stars in the night sky, it can be spotted just below Orion’s Belt – a brilliant, twinkling reminder that winter is on its way.

The Christmas Star will remain visible throughout the colder months.

Frosty mornings ahead

November marks the true return of frost, as colder and calmer conditions settle in.

While October saw relatively mild mornings, this month will bring more widespread frost, especially from mid-November onwards.

On average, Glasgow and Edinburgh can expect a couple of frosty mornings, while Inverness and Aberdeen usually see around five.

The first signs of snow

Many will be wondering: will we see snow this month?

Typically, areas like Aberdeenshire, Shetland and the Highlands experience a few days of lying snow in November.

However, as the climate continues to warm, early snowfall is becoming less frequent. Still, there’s always hope for a dusting before Christmas.

Shorter days but slowing down

Daylight continues to dwindle in November, but the rate of change begins to ease. In Shetland, daylight is lost at about five minutes per day early in the month, slowing to three and a half minutes by the end.

Even so, by late November the sun will set around 3pm in the far north, the perfect excuse to pour a hot chocolate, turn on the fairy lights, and maybe even start decorating for Christmas.