Seeing the Northern Lights is an awesome experience, but make sure you don’t discount our late fall meteor showers.
Early this week, one meteor shower is peaking and two others are on deck to hit their high points - and maybe even flash a few fireballs - in November.
The Orionids peak on Oct. 21, but because we are coming off a full moon, our night sky might be too bright to see all but the brightest meteors from this shower, NASA experts have said.
“Orionid meteors are known for their brightness and for their speed,” NASA’s recent meteor shower blog said. “Of course, the ability to see them will depend on clear evening skies. And a bright waning gibbous Moon – where it moves between full and last quarter phases – will outshine fainter meteors, greatly reducing the number of meteors visible to skywatchers."
This meteor shower, which started in late September, will be active until just before Thanksgiving. They happen each year when the Earth travels through debris left by Halley’s Comet.
The Southern Taurids: This could be our best shot at dark skies coupled with an eye-catching show. The Southern Taurids are active from late September through early December. This year, they will peak Nov. 4-5, according to the American Meteor Society (AMS).
The Northern Taurids: This show follows the first, peaking Nov. 11-12. The moon will be fuller then, so the fainter meteors might be harder to see.
What makes both Taurid showers special? Fireballs.
“When the two showers are active simultaneously in late October and early November, there is sometimes a notable increase in the fireball activity,” according to the AMS meteor shower calendar. “The Taurids (both branches) are rich in fireballs and are often responsible for (an) increased number of fireball reports from September through November.”