Taurids Meteor Shower Fireballs: Peak Dates, What To Expect

The long-running Taurid meteor shower, which peaks in early November, and continues throughout the month, has already produced a fireball — that is, a very bright, long-lasting meteor that blazes across the sky. Two skywatchers reported seeing and photographing Taurid fireballs in Arizona — most likely the same one, according to Earthsky.org.

The Taurids are actually two meteor showers — the South Taurids, which peak around Nov. 4-5 and the North Taurids, which peak Nov. 11-12, though there’s some wiggle room because the Taurids are so slow moving. The two skywatchers captured photos of the fireballs, one in Superstition Mountains in Gold Canyon and the other about 100 miles to the south in the Arizona foothills, according to Earthsky.org.

The South Taurids are associated with Comet Encke and the North Taurids with dust grains left behind by the Asteroid 2004 TG10. In some years, Jupiter comes close to the comet trail, and the planet’s gravity nudges the Comet Encke particle stream toward Earth, making more meteors visible from Earth.

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The Taurids blaze at greater rates in seven-year cycles, the last time in 2015. And while experts don’t expect a huge outburst this year, avid meteor watcher Eliot Herman of Tucson, whose photo of the Taurid fireball is one of two featured on Earthsky’s website, told the organization he has heard the Taurids may disrupt the pattern this year and produce a good display.

Regardless, the Taurids are worth a look because Comet Encke’s debris could produce meteors large enough to survive the trip to the ground and they will produce bright, spectacular fireballs, NASA meteor expert Bill Cooke told Space.com.

A full moon on Nov. 4 will steal the show, but if you’re patient you may be able to see some fireballs, but by Nov. 11-12, viewing conditions will improve. These typically slow-moving meteors radiate from the constellation Taurus, but you’ll be able to see them anywhere in the sky.

If you miss the Taurids, the Leonids peak Nov. 17-18. The show is both unique and average. It’s average in that it will only produces about 15 meteors an hour at its peak on the night of Nov. 17 and morning of Nov. 18, but every 33 years, it has a cyclonic peak that results in hundreds of meteors an hour. The last time this happened was in 2001, so it will likely be 2034 before that happens again.

Produced by dust grains left behind by comet Tempel-Tuttle, discovered in 1865, the meteors radiate from the constellation Leo, but just look up and you should see some. With a new moon, skies should be dark enough for a good show. The best viewing time is after midnight.

Feature photo: NASA/Bill Ingalls