The Southern Taurids is a meteor shower known for its unusually large and bright fireballs that travel at a slow pace.
This November, two meteor showers will emanate from the Taurus constellation. Both are considered “fireball showers” rather than typical meteor showers.
A fireball from the Taurids meteor shower – (Photo: EARTHSKY).
According to NASA, this meteor shower will peak on November 5. For the time zone in Vietnam, the best viewing will be on the night of November 4, into the early morning of November 5.
As reported by Space.com, in 2024, conditions for observing the Southern Taurids will be favorable, with the Moon only reaching about 15% brightness during the peak of the meteor shower.
However, the Northern Taurids will peak on the night of November 11, into the early morning of November 12 when viewed from Vietnam. This may be affected by the Moon’s brightness at 84%, obscuring some of the fainter meteors.
Map showing the origins of the Northern Taurids and Southern Taurids meteor showers – (Graphic: NASA).
Both meteor showers will only release a modest number of meteors per hour. However, they will still be quite dazzling since the meteors from both showers are larger and brighter than those from other meteor showers.
“The Taurids are rich in fireballs, so if you see a Taurid, it may be very bright and dazzling, even though their speed is quite slow,” said NASA meteor expert Bill Cooke.
This is also why the meteors of the Southern Taurids are often referred to as “Halloween fireballs.” This meteor shower begins a few days before its peak, meaning it starts at the end of October.
The Taurids consist of larger meteors than those found in other meteor showers, allowing them to survive longer as they pass through Earth’s atmosphere.
NASA cites the example of the Orionids, which typically burn up at an altitude of about 93 km, while the Taurids can fall to an altitude of up to 66 km.
The meteors of the Taurids also travel at a speed of about 27 km/s, while the Perseids streak by at a speed of 59 km/s.
Although they originate from the Taurus constellation, the “culprit” behind the Taurids fireballs is the massive comet Encke, which has a nucleus approximately 4.8 meters in size.
