A celestial light show will grace the night sky this weekend, as the Taurid meteor shower reaches its peak.
The display can be viewed from all over the world, but it will peak in the Northern Hemisphere over the next two weeks. The Taurid meteor shower occurs every fall, comprising two distinct streams from separate sources, known as the South and North Taurids.
“The Taurids meteor shower is unique in that it comprises two distinct streams (i.e., Southern and Northern Taurids), both of which have spread over time due to the gravitational influence of Jupiter,” Minjae Kim, a research fellow in the Department of Physics at the University of Warwick in the U.K., told Newsweek. “No matter where you are on Earth, with Antarctica being the sole exception, the Taurids meteor shower graces the skies of almost every corner of our planet.”
Allexxandar/Getty
The meteors appear to be coming from different points in the constellation Taurus, from which the shower derives its name.
Meteor showers occur when the Earth travels through clouds of debris left in the path of orbiting comets and asteroids.
“The Southern Taurids (active from around Sept. 28 until Dec. 2) peak between Nov. 4 and 6, a result of our planet passing through the debris left by the short-period comet Encke,” Kim said. “In contrast, the Northern Taurids (active between Oct. 13 and Dec. 2) peaking between November 11 and 13, are created by Earth’s passage through the remnants of the eccentric asteroid 2004 TG10.”
What look like shooting stars from Earth are actually small particles of dust and dirt charging through Earth’s atmosphere.
“Meteors are, normally, small particles of dust and grit floating in the solar system,” Mark Gallaway, an astronomer and science educator at the Royal Greenwich Observatory, previously told Newsweek. “As they enter the Earth’s atmosphere at typical speeds of 44 miles a second, they heat up by friction.
“They also heat the atmosphere, so much so that it makes the path they follow glow. It is this glow you see, as the meteor disintegrates, at something like 30 to 59 miles up. Larger objects, say the size of a pebble, will produce a bright meteor known as a fireball.”
How to Watch
The Taurids can be seen with the naked eye and are best viewed at around midnight. During the first peak this weekend the waning crescent moon could interfere with meteor visibility.
However, on the following weekend, the Northern Taurids peak is predicted to coincide with a new moon, providing optimal viewing conditions.
Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about meteor showers? Let us know via [email protected].
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.