Prepare for the Tauride Meteor Shower: How and When to Watch

Stargazers are in for a celestial treat as two sister meteor showers, the South Taurids and the North Taurids, are currently visible in the night sky. The Southern Taurids are expected to peak overnight from Monday to Tuesday, November 4/5, while the Northern Taurids are projected to peak on November 12. Both meteor showers are known for producing intensely bright fireballs that can light up the sky.

According to ABC News Australia, the Taurid meteor shower can be seen in the night sky across Australia on Monday night and into the early hours of Tuesday. These meteor showers are long-lasting, observable through December, with less clearly defined peaks. This year’s conditions for viewing the Taurid meteor shower are expected to be ideal, with minimal light interference, as the Southern Taurids will peak on an evening with only a thin crescent, which is only 11% full.

The Tauride meteor shower originates from debris left behind by Comet Encke as it transits the Sun’s orbit. As Comet Encke passes through our solar system, fragments of it enter Earth’s atmosphere at incredibly fast speeds and create fireballs. During this time, observers will be able to see dust from Comet Encke suspended in the night sky for a few moments, briefly illuminating it.

Most meteor showers come from cometary debris, and the South and North Taurids share the same parent source from comet 2P/Encke. When space fragments enter Earth’s atmosphere, air resistance heats them up, causing them to glow and leave glowing trails known as “shooting stars.” The bright pockets of air around these fast-moving space rocks, ranging from the size of a dust particle to a boulder, can be seen in the night sky.

Taurid meteors are usually slow moving but can be very bright, often appearing as very bright fireballs known for their extreme brightness and sometimes colorful displays. Fireballs produced by Taurid showers tend to be brighter and longer lasting than those from other meteor showers. Sally Brummel, planetarium manager at the University of Minnesota’s Bell Museum, said: “What’s notable is that it may produce brighter, longer-lasting meteors than other showers, even if there aren’t as many at one time given”. according to the Associated Press.

Both the Southern and Northern Taurid meteor showers tend to produce about five slow-moving meteors per hour under clear conditions and dark skies. The maximum intensity of the Southern Taurids is estimated at 6.3 to 6.9 meteors per hour, and of the Northern Taurids at 4.2 to 4.8 meteors per hour.

Jonti Horner of the University of Southern Queensland commented on the Taurus, stating, “For the general public, I wouldn’t recommend setting an alarm to get up and see it,” as reported by ABC News Australia. He added: “By all means, if you’re sober then watch it, but it can be a little disappointing.” However, he noted that the Taurides are good for photographers. “It’s also good for photographers because of the relatively slow and brighter meteors,” Jonti Horner said. Taurids create longer-lasting meteors than other showers, making them ideal for capturing on camera.

The best time to see the Tauride meteor shower is usually after midnight, especially between 1:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m., when the constellation Taurus is higher in the sky and the night sky is darkest. Jonti Horner advised: “The rain will peak around 1:00 to 2:00, but you’ll see some meteors around 9 or 10 p.m.” He also suggested being prepared for a long night if you plan to stay up for it. “Be prepared for a long night if you’re staying up for this. I’d say 11pm to the pre-dusk hours will be best for viewing,” he said.

For the best viewing experience, it is recommended to find a dark location away from city lights and give your eyes about 30 minutes to adjust to the dark. A dark sky, minimal light pollution, and a moonless sky are key to observing meteor showers. To allow your eyes to adjust to the dark, it is ideal to avoid using mobile phones.

Fireballs are significantly brighter than meteors and because of this can be seen in urban environments, although darker skies will increase visibility. It’s easier to see shooting stars under dark skies, away from city lights, making rural areas, national parks, or dark-sky reserves ideal locations for Taurid viewing.

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Meteor showers are usually most visible between midnight and the pre-dawn hours, especially when the constellation Taurus is higher in the sky. Several meteor showers occur annually, and you don’t need special equipment to see them.

When space fragments enter Earth’s atmosphere, air resistance heats them up, causing them to glow and leave glowing trails known as “shooting stars.” As the heat of the air causes it to glow around the meteors, they briefly leave a trail of fire in their wake.

Both the South and North Tauride meteor showers can be seen through December. Taurids are long-lived meteor showers with less defined peaks. The origin of the Tauride meteors from Comet Encke results in small bodies of light crossing the sky, appearing as bright streaks that quickly fade.

Sources: AP, Associated Press, The Independent, ABC News, CBS News, The Washington Times, Phys.org, O Globo, ABC News Australia, El Confidencial, Secret Sydney

This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq