Heads up, skygazers: Taurid, Leonid meteor showers will peak this November
No tricks, just treats from the universe this November, as two meteor showers are set to peak this month and delight skygazers.
First is the Northern Taurid meteor shower which, based on PAG-ASA's astronomical diary, will peak at midnight of Nov. 13. This will be followed by the Leonid meteor shower which will be most active on Nov. 18, at 5 a.m.
The Northern Taurid originated from the asteroid 2004 TG10 which is part of Comet Encke where the meteor shower's Southern counterpart comes from.
Like any meteor stream, both the Northern and Southern Taurid meteor showers are named after the constellation from which they appear to come from in the sky. In this case, it's the Taurus constellation which Space.com describes as a large and prominent constellation in the Northern Hemisphere's winter sky.
The Northern Taurid Meteor Shower is usually visible in late October which is why it is dubbed "Halloween fireballs." For this year, however, the celestial event is active from Nov. 20 to Dec. 10 with peak activity after sunset on Nov. 12 and just before sunrise on Nov. 13, according to PAG-ASA.
It usually produces infrequent and slow meteors, with approximately five per hour this time around. Apart from its speed, taking photos of these shooting stars is seemingly easy because they are "big and very bright" to the point of "knocking your eyes out," NASA said.
Spotting them is easy as they are usually scattered in the night sky. The moon will also present minimal interference as it will only be 2% illuminated.
Meanwhile, the Leonid Meteor Shower is considered a major meteor shower that usually peaks during mid-November. Produced by the comet comet 55P Tempel-Tuttle, Leonids are known to be bright and colorful, with their long tails falling close to the horizon.
They are considered one of the fastest meteors, with speeds of 44 miles (71 kilometers) per second.
According to PAG-ASA, this year's Leonid Meteor Shower is active from Nov. 6 until No. 30 and will reach its highest point in the sky on Nov. 18, at 5 a.m. It is expected to have 15 meteors per hour, with visible meteors increasing as it reaches its peak.
Similar to this year's Norther Taurid Meteor Shower, Leonid will have minimal interference from the moon which will be in its first quarter phase during the meteor shower's peak.
Both celestial events will be visible to the naked eye, without the need for binoculars or telescopes. To maximize your viewing experience, PAG-ASA suggests choosing a dark location away from city lights. It would also be good to step outside 30 minutes before watching the meteor showers so your eyes could adjust well to the dark.