A pair of annual meteor showers known for their slower movement and long-lasting streaks will be visible across the night sky this month, with the first wave of meteors passing over Earth this weekend.
The meteors are known for their slower movement and have streaks that last longer than average.
The Southern Taurids have been active since Sept. 23 and will continue through Dec. 8, though the meteor shower will peak between Nov. 4 and Nov. 5, while the Northern Taurids, active since Oct. 13, will peak between Nov. 11 and Nov. 12 and persist through Dec. 2, according to the American Meteor Society.
Both meteor showers—referred to by NASA as the “Halloween Fireballs”—are caused by debris from Comet Encke entering the Earth’s atmosphere and peak each year between October and November, showcasing larger explosions of light and color that persist longer than the average meteor streak.
Meteors during the Taurid showers are known for their slower speeds and their brightness, often appearing brighter than Venus as they travel at about 17.2 miles per second—the Orionid meteor shower, which peaked last month, traveled at an estimated 41 miles per second.
Comet Encke was first discovered in 1786, though its orbit wasn’t calculated until 1819 by Johann Franz Encke, the comet’s namesake, according to NASA.
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Taurid meteors will be larger than the average meteor and last longer as they pass through Earth’s atmosphere, allowing them to be visible with the naked eye, NASA said. The agency recommends traveling to a dark location, lying down and waiting at least 30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the darkness. Meteors will be visible near the Taurus constellation, which can be found by looking for the Orion constellation and then turning toward the northeast, though meteor streaks will be visible across the night sky.
The best time to look for the Taurid meteor showers is after midnight and likely continue through the early morning, according to NASA.
Celestial events have intensified in recent weeks, as annual meteor showers return to Earth’s atmosphere and increased activity on the sun’s surface pulls aurora borealis further south. Four other meteor showers will appear this year, including the Leonids, Geminids, Ursids and Quadrantids, according to the American Meteor Society. Last month, the largest supermoon—about 14% larger than the average full moon—emerged, while two comets, the Tsuchinshan-ATLAS and ATLAS comets, traveled across the sky. The sun’s 11-year cycle, Solar Cycle 25, has also reached its “solar maximum,” according to NASA, meaning there will be an increase in solar weather like geomagnetic storms. These events interact with the Earth’s magnetic field, often pulling aurora borealis below the Canadian border.