Title: Southern Taurid Meteor Shower to Peak This Weekend, Offering Spectacular Night Sky Display
Date: November 4, 2023
Byline: CNN
Sky gazers and astronomy enthusiasts have a treat in store this weekend as the Southern Taurid meteor shower is set to reach its peak. Known for its spectacular fireballs, the meteor shower will provide a dazzling display in the night sky on Sunday, November 5, at 8:47 p.m. ET.
The Southern Taurids, although not as frequent as other meteor showers, compensate for their scarcity with their brightness. The shower typically offers around five meteors per hour. However, NASA has confirmed that these meteors are fireballs that appear even brighter than Venus, the second brightest celestial object in the night sky.
Bill Cooke, the lead of NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office, emphasized the allure of observing meteors. “Meteors are a part of the night sky that are just out of the norm for people,” he said. “You go outside, you see the stars, you see the moon, you see the planets — those are always there…but you don’t always see the meteors. Meteors are a transitory part of the night sky, and people get fascinated by that.”
To catch the best glimpse of the meteor shower, experts recommend going outside after midnight in any time zone. However, viewers should be prepared to wait for some time, as only one or two Taurids have been captured by NASA’s meteor cameras each night thus far.
Despite the peak overlapping with a nearly half-full moon, experts believe the moon’s brightness will not interfere significantly since the Taurids are exceptionally bright themselves. To capture the meteor shower’s full glory, viewers are advised to look away from the moon and try to take in as much of the sky as possible.
Cooke explained that the Southern Taurids’ brighter appearance is due to their larger size. These space rocks can be up to 1 meter (3 feet) long, causing them to burn up dramatically as they enter Earth’s atmosphere. Although few make it to the ground, the resulting meteorites are usually smaller and not capable of causing any damage.
The Southern Taurids originate from Comet Encke, which has the shortest orbit of all known comets in the solar system. As the comet travels, it leaves behind a trail of debris that intersects with Earth’s orbit, resulting in the meteor shower.
While the current rates are not expected to be as high as in the previous year, astronomers caution that surprises are always possible. Additionally, there are several more meteor showers to look forward to in 2023, including the Leonids in November and the Geminids and Ursids in December.
So, mark your calendars, prepare your cameras, and enjoy the mesmerizing spectacle of the Southern Taurid meteor shower this weekend.