The Northern Taurid meteor shower fueled by fireballs sets the sky ablaze. How to watch

One of the most explosive meteor showers the year has just passed its peak but is still very active, which is good news if you like to see fire in the sky.

The South Tauris and North Tauris showers are active now and tend to produce a lot of sizzle in the form of fireballs that light up the skies. The Southern Taurid branch has already peaked, but can continue to contribute to the overall fireball count. Northern Taurids likely reach maximum activity Wednesday night, but remain active until early December, according to the American Meteor Society, or AMS.

Taurids are produced when the Earth drifts through a cloud of debris left by Comet 2P / Encke around this time every year. Small pieces of dust could be seen burning in our upper atmosphere like “shooting stars”, while larger pieces of space rock can produce more dramatic fireballs.

The Taurids are not as well known as other meteor showers such as the Perseids or even the Leonids, also active in November. They don’t produce as many meteors per hour as the more famous rains, but the Taurids are well known for generally adding a good dose of fireballs to the night sky between late October and early November.

About every seven years the Taurids are particularly active, but we shouldn’t see it again until 2022. However, you might see a few shooting stars and maybe even a fireball per hour if you venture around midnight under ideal conditions.

Photos of the 2020 Perseid meteor shower shine bright in a dark year

See all photos

It is possible to see them early in the evening, although a little less likely. However, closer to dusk you may see a rare “Earth Digger” along the horizon.

Whenever you go hunting for Taurids, start by moving as far away from light pollution as possible and find a spot with a wide, unobstructed view of the sky. Prepare if necessary, then lie down, let your eyes adjust, relax and look.

Taurids may appear to emanate closely from the constellation of Taurus, the Bull, which is also close to the famous star cluster, the Pleiades. It is not necessary to focus on this part of the sky, however, as the Taurids may be visible in other parts of the night sky, but will generally be directed away from Taurus.

Enjoy some fire in the sky and broadcast all the epic photos of the fireball I happen to catch, @EricCMack, on Twitter.