The Taurid meteor shower is made up of two streams: the Southern Taurids which peak between November 4 and 5; and the Northern Taurids which peak between November 12 and 13.
These showers produce infrequent, slow-moving, long-lasting meteors associated with Comet Encke, a small comet with a core about 3 miles (4.8 km) in diameter.
2022 could be a particularly good year for Taurid fireballs as the American Meteorological Society (opens in a new tab) suggests a noticeable increase in fireball activity every seven years. While 2015 produced incredible Taurid fireballs, 2022 could be next. Keep your eyes open!
Related: Guide to the 2022 meteor showers: Dates and viewing tips
Daisy Dobrijevic
Daisy joined Space.com in February 2022. Prior to that, she worked as an editor for our sister publication All About Space magazine. Daisy has written many articles and guides for notable skywatching events including the Perseid Meteor Shower, the Upcoming Solar Eclipse, and the Upcoming Lunar Eclipse.
“Taurids are rich in fireballs, so if you see a Taurid it can be very bright and it will hurt your eyes, but their rates are absolutely zero,” NASA meteor expert Bill Cooke told AFP. Space.com. “It’s just the fact that when a Taurid spawns, it’s usually big and bright.” Typically, the Taurids only produce a handful of visible meteors per hour.
As the Taurids occur at the end of October, they are sometimes referred to as “Halloween fireballs”.
Taurid meteors tend to be larger than other meteors and can survive longer when passing through the Earth’s atmosphere. According to NASA (opens in a new tab), the Orionids, for example, typically burn at elevations around 58 miles (93 km), while the Taurids typically reach 42 miles (66 km). They also travel relatively slowly, crossing the sky at around 17 miles (27 kilometers) per second or 65,000 miles (104,000 km) per hour. The Perseidson the other hand, soar through the sky at 37 miles (59 km) per second.
Where can you see the Taurid meteor shower?
Position of the Taurus constellation:
Right Ascension: 4 hours
Declination: 15 degrees
Visible between: Latitudes 90 degrees and minus 65 degrees
Taurids are visible almost anywhere on Earth, except for the South Pole. Meteor showers are named after the constellation from which the meteors appear to emanate, known as the radiant. From Earth’s perspective, the Taurid meteor shower appears to be coming approximately from the direction of the Bull constellation.
To find Taurus, look for the orion constellation then look northeast to find the red star Aldebaran, the star in the bull’s eye.
Don’t look directly at Taurus to find meteors; shooting stars will be visible all over the night sky. Be sure to shift your gaze around proximity constellation. Meteors closer to the radiant have shorter trails and are harder to spot. If you only look at Taurus, you might miss the shooting stars with the most spectacular trails.
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To better see the Taurids meteor shower, go to the darkest place possible, lean back and relax. You don’t need any equipment like telescopes or binoculars because the secret is to admire as much of the sky as possible and give your eyes about 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness.
If you want more tips on how to photograph the Taurids, check out our guide on how to photograph meteors and meteor showers and if you need imaging gear consider our best cameras for astrophotography and our best lenses for astrophotography.
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When is the best time to see the Taurid meteor shower?
The best time to see the Taurid meteor shower — both the northern stream and the southern stream — is around midnight when the shower’s radiance, the constellation Taurus, is high in the sky.
The Southern Taurids are active from September 10 to November 20 and peak around November 4 and 5, while the Northern Taurids are active between October 20 and December 10 and peak around November 12 and 13.
This year, late October may be the best time to see the Taurid meteor shower when the northern and southern showers overlap. The new Moon October 25 will provide dark skies perfect for meteor hunting. To calculate moonrise and moonrise times in your area, see this custom sunrise-sunset calculator (opens in a new tab).
What causes the Taurid meteor shower?
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The Taurid meteor shower is caused by debris – ice and dust – from Comet 2P/Encke as it passes through our solar system.
The Encke debris flow is so large and spread out that it takes Earth long enough to pass through the entirety of the debris, which is why we know of two distinct segments of the shower – the Northern Taurids and the Taurids of the South, according to Greenwich Royal Museums (opens in a new tab) (RMG).
Comet Encke was discovered by French astronomer Pierre FA Mechain on January 17, 1786, according to NASA Science (opens in a new tab). Usually, comets are named after their discoverers or the observatory or telescope involved in the discovery. However, Comet Encke was named after German astronomer Johann Franz Encke who was responsible for calculating the comet’s orbit.
Encke has the shortest orbital period of any known comet in our solar system, taking just 3.3 years to orbit the sun.
Every time Comet Encke returns inside solar system, its core releases ice and rock into space in a vast stream of debris. As Earth passes through debris, ‘comet crumbs’ heat up as they enter earth’s atmosphere and burn in brilliant bursts of light, carving a vivid path across the sky.
Comet Encke and the Taurid meteor shower are thought to be the remnants of a much larger comet that broke up within the past 20,000 to 30,000 years, according to RMG.
Further information
Learn more about French astronomer Pierre FA Mechain with this biography of the St. Andrews University (opens in a new tab). Learn more about Taurid fireball activity since 1962 with this full review of Taurids (opens in a new tab). Explore the constellation of Taurus and find out how to spot it with the naked eye with the sky observation website In-The-Sky.org (opens in a new tab).
Bibliography
Nasa. 2P/Encke. Nasa. Retrieved October 5, 2022, from https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/asteroids-comets-and-meteors/comets/2p-encke/in-depth/
Nasa. Taurid Meteor – look at the sky. Nasa. Retrieved October 5, 2022, from https://blogs.nasa.gov/Watch_the_Skies/tag/taurid-meteor/
Taurid meteor shower 2022: when and where to see it in the UK. Greenwich Royal Museums. Retrieved October 5, 2022, from https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/taurid-meteor-shower-2022-when-where-see-it-uk
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