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A taurid fireball captured in 2015.
P. Spurny / Czech Academy of Sciences
One of the most explosive meteor showers of the year is active and will soon reach the peak of activity, which is good news if you like to see a small 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. According to the American Meteor Society, or AMS, the Northern Taurids are expected to reach maximum activity Wednesday evening and the following morning.
Taurids are produced when the Earth drifts through a cloud of debris left behind 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, which are 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 in late October and early November.
About every seven years the Taurids are particularly active, but we won’t have to see it again until 2022. However, you may see a handful of shooting stars and maybe even a fireball per hour if you venture around midnight under ideal conditions.
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It is possible to see them early in the evening, although a little less likely. However, closer to sunset you may be able to see a rare “Earth Digger” along the horizon.
Whenever you go hunting for Taurids, start by getting as far away from light pollution as possible and find a spot with a wide view of the sky without obstacles. Prepare if necessary, then lie down, let your eyes adjust, relax and gaze.
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 pass me every epic fireball photo I get @EricCMack, on Twitter.
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