The Taurid meteor shower is popular for the few, yet impressive meteors - the fireballs or crazy shiny ones that can be observed are bigger than the usual meteors we can spot during such period, which makes the event remarkable and highly anticipated by many people.
However, this year the meteor streams will only have a few fireballs, as the forecast predicts approximately seven meteors per hour. The first stream is expected to take place late night Nov. 4 until dawn Nov. 5.
South Taurids
The South Taurids, as they are called, are extremely spread out and diffused, which makes them very long-lasting. However, this comes at a price. The exceptionally bright meteors are rarer, but they are all the more worth watching as they provide a more spectacular illumination of the sky. The North Taurids also add an extra number of meteors during the South Taurids' night.
"The South Taurids should produce their greatest number of meteors shortly after midnight on Nov. 5. Remember, it'll be possible to catch a fireball or two," according to Earth Sky.
North Taurids
The North Taurids will have their peak on the night of Nov. 11 until dawn of Nov. 12. The second series of meteor showers also lasts for a longer period of time. Generally, the most meteors can be spotted around midnight, as Taurus the Bull is at its brightest point of the entire night.
This year, the Nov. 11-12 event will coincide with the waxing gibbous moon, when the natural satellite reaches some of its brightest moments as well.
"This is not one of these high-rate meteor showers, but when you see one, you will know it. They are very bright, and they are pretty consistent year after year," noted Bill Cooke, of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office.
What Time Should You Look Up?
The viewing hours for skywatchers in the Northern and Southern hemispheres will have two distinct peaks of watching time. However, the dates seem to be only approximate, as the meteor rates will be generally low during this shower.
The occurrence of meteor showers is due to small fragments burning up in our planet's atmosphere, but there are a few from Comet Encke that could even survive the trip and hit the Earth's surface. The meteors haven't been spotted up until now, and managing to discover a few would be of tremendous scientific relevance in this field.
As for actually spotting the very few bright objects, they will be visible form everywhere, unless you're on the South Pole. In order to find the Taurus constellation and look for a more precise location of the event, you have to spot the Orion constellation and then look north.
