When the Orionids meteor shower peaked above Colorado in late October, it happened when the moon was 100 percent full, thus limiting visibility. That won’t be the case when the Southern Taurids peak later this week.
According to Space.com, the Taurids (both north and south) are visible from anywhere on Earth, except for the South Pole. They seemingly originate from the constellation Taurus, hence their name. That being said, stargazers shouldn’t focus just on Taurus while trying to spot these meteors, as these shooting stars are expected to be seen across much of the sky.
While the Taurids aren’t known for producing meteors at a high rate, they are known for particularly bright meteors with visible trails. Plus, the Southern Taurids are expected to peak on the night of November 4-5, when the moon is at 0 percent brightness. This should make the shooting stars a bit easier to see.
The Southern Taurids are expected to produce around five meteors per hour, often described as “fireballs” by viewers, according to the American Meteor Society.
Think you’ll miss the peak? The Taurid meteor showers stays active through December 2nd and shooting stars may still be seen through then.
While the Southern Taurids will peak first this month, the Northern Taurids are set to peak on the night of November 11 to 12, offering stargazers another free celestial show. This peak will come when the moon is 55 percent full.
Another meteor shower peak is also occurring in November – the Leonids – set to peak on the night of November 17 to 18, when the moon is 98 percent full.
To spot these meteor showers, the best time to look tends to be in the early morning, just before dawn. Find somewhere dark with limited light pollution on a peak night for the best chance to wish upon a shooting star.
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