Stargazers, mark your calendars as the North Taurid meteor shower will peak tonight, giving you a chance to witness bright streaks of fireballs as they light up the night sky.
The Taurid meteor showers, split into North and South, are remnants of a cosmic event that occurred around 10,000 years ago when a large comet broke into pieces. The South Taurids originate as debris from Comet Encke, while the North Taurids are debris from asteroid 2004TG10.
Each autumn, Earth’s orbit crosses the path of these ancient debris clouds, producing stunning meteor showers that are active from September through December—depending on the shower. While the North Taurid meteor shower has been active since October 20, the meteor shower will peak with rates of between 5-10 meteors per hour tonight.
Unfortunately, the North Taurids are expected to be fairly normal this year, according to NASA officials. That means we’ll likely only see around five meteors per hour, though they could still streak across the sky as blazing fireballs. The North Taurids will continue to be visible until December, while the South Taurids are visible until later November.
So, how can you catch a glimpse of this celestial show? The good news is that you won’t need any special equipment. Meteors are best viewed with the naked eye since binoculars or telescopes limit your field of vision. All you need to do for a chance to see the North Taurids meteor shower is head outside, find a nice, dark spot, and get comfortable.
The moon is expected to be just 79 percent full tonight, so the darkest viewing hours—right after midnight—will give you the highest chances to see the meteors. And as with any celestial event, the clearer the skies, the better the chance of spotting anything.
Enjoy this opportunity to witness a cosmic light show that has graced our skies for thousands of years. Whether you catch a fireball or just a few streaks, it’s a reminder of the beauty and wonder of our universe.
