If stargazing is a pastime you enjoy, November is a good time of year for you because it's a month when it starts to get dark earlier for two reasons. 

First, as we inch toward the winter solstice on Dec. 21, the sun will set earlier and earlier each day. But we'll get a big boost in extra darkness when daylight saving time ends on Nov. 3 and we revert back to standard time. 

So what should you be looking for during all the extra darkness come November? To start, there are a couple of opportunities to view the planets to mark on your calendar.

First, on Nov. 16, Mercury will reach its greatest elongation — its farthest distance from the sun, according to EarthSky. Mercury is the innermost planet in our solar system, the planet closest to the sun. Because of this, it isn't always visible. At its elongations, we can see it in the night sky because it is farther away from the sun. It will be visible in the days and weeks leading up to the elongation as well. Look for it just above the horizon in the western sky just after the sun sets. 

While looking for Mercury, keep an eye out for Venus too. Venus is the brightest planet and will appear much brighter than Mercury in the sky, EarthSky reports. When Mercury is at its elongation, you will be able to see Venus near it in the western sky.

Just a day after Mercury is at its greatest elongation, Uranus will be at opposition on Nov. 17. When Uranus is at opposition, it is opposite the sun in the sky, with Earth positioned between them. This is also when it is closest to Earth and at its brightest in the night sky, EarthSky reports. 

When it is at its elongation is the best time to view Uranus, but it is still difficult to see with the naked eye. It will look like just another star in the sky to a casual observer, so a sky-watching app may be useful to help you locate it in the night sky. 

Multiple meteor showers are also active in November, with the northern Taurids and southern Taurids meteor showers both peaking. The southern Taurids hits its peak first, on the night of Nov. 4 to 5, according to the American Meteor Society. This meteor shower lasts from Sept. 23 to Dec. 8, but it isn't a big producer of meteors compared to some other showers. However, viewing this year will be aided by the fact that the moon will be only 11% full on the night of the peak.

The northern Taurids follows the southern Taurids by about a week, hitting its peak the night of Nov. 11 into 12. Viewing will be dampened, though, by a bright night sky with the moon 79% full at its peak. This shower is another long-lasting one, running from Oct. 13 to Dec. 2, but it's also not a big producer. However, during the period when both the northern Taurids and southern Taurids are active, there is sometimes an uptick in fireball activity, the meteor society reports. 

A third meteor shower is also active in November, although past its peak period. The Orionids lasts from Sept. 26 to Nov. 22, but it peaked the night of Oct. 20 to 21. The Orionids is considered a medium-strength shower, but in some years activity can be much higher than usual, producing nearly as many shooting stars as the Perseids meteor shower, the meteor society reports. 

November's full moon will be on Nov. 15, reaching its fullest point at 3:29 p.m. It is the last of four consecutive supermoons, which are full moons that appear bigger and brighter than other full moons because of Earth's position in relation to the moon, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. 

The November full moon is also known as the beaver moon. The beaver reference is twofold: First, November is about the time of year when beavers move into their lodges for the winter, the Old Farmer's Almanac reports. And during the fur-trade era, it was also the time of year when beavers would be trapped for their desirable thick fur coats. 

These common names we have for the monthly full moons were mostly coined by Native tribes, and they traditionally relate to seasonal activities. Other nicknames for the November full moon include the frost moon and the freezing moon, both tied to the falling temperatures at this time of year, as well as the digging moon, because animals are often seen digging as they prepare for winter, and the deer rutting moon, because it is the height of deer mating season, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac.