Taurid meteor shower peaks tonight: How to watch
What's the story
The Taurid meteor shower, an annual celestial event, is set to peak tonight. This year, the shower promises a special treat for stargazers with the potential of witnessing brilliant fireballs. The phenomenon occurs when Earth passes through debris streams left by Comet Encke, a 4.8-kilometer ice body that orbits the Sun every 3.3 years.
Meteor details
Taurid meteor shower consists of two branches
The Taurid meteor shower consists of two branches: the Southern and Northern Taurids.
The Southern Taurids are active from September 20 to November 20, while the Northern ones are visible from October 20 to December 10.
As Earth travels through these debris streams, tiny particles hit our atmosphere at 104,650km/h, creating stunning streaks of light across the night sky.
Viewing tips
Southern Taurids have two peaks of activity
The Taurid meteor shower appears to radiate from a point in the constellation Taurus, which rises in the southeastern sky during November evenings.
This year, the Southern Taurid shower has two peaks of activity. The first peak was on October 14 while the second will be tonight, November 4-5.
This peak is expected to bring an increase in fireball activity, with five meteors per hour lighting up the sky.
Viewing strategy
Tips for watching the meteors
To catch the Taurid meteors, head to a dark location around midnight when the shower's radiant in Taurus is high in the southeastern sky.
However, don't look directly at the radiant as meteors seen close to this constellation strike our planet almost head-on and will have shorter trails.
Instead, look for a patch of sky a little distance away where shooting stars will be more visible as they skim through Earth's atmosphere.