The best time and place to see the Taurid meteor shower

Spectacular fireballs will streak across the night sky as the Taurid meteor shower hits its peak this week.

The shooting star display is the combination of two meteor showers: the Northern Taurids and the Southern Taurids.

It is active between October and November, with the brightest display expected between November 11 and November 12.

While they will be jaw-dropping, the Taurids are few and far between.

“The Taurids are rich in fireballs, so if you see a Taurid it can be very brilliant and it’ll knock your eyes out, but their rates absolutely suck,” NASA meteor expert Bill Cooketold Space.com.

“It’s simply the fact that when a Taurid appears it’s usually big and bright.”

Comet crumbs

The Taurid meteor shower is the tail of the Comet Encke.

As Encke obits the sun it leaves behind a trail of “comet crumbs” in its wake. 

Read more:
7 destinations in space we can visit in the future
The 9 best space experiences on earth

Best time to see the Taurid meteor shower

While pretty darn impressive, the Taurids not at their best this year.

The full moon, which rose on October 31 (spooky) has made visibility sub-optimal.

But the moon is expected to rise later on November 11 and 12 giving more dark sky time to view the meteor show.

Expect the brightest show around midnight.

According to the American Meteor Society the Taurids 2022 will be the year the Taurids really shine.

At this time Jupiter’s obrit comes close to the comet’s tail, pushing some of the particles closer to earth.

Astronomers call this “an outburst”.

Where to look for the Taurids

The Taurids are bright enough to see with the naked eye, so you could simply head out into the backyard.

They are visible from everywhere on earth, with the exception of the South Pole.

To find them look for the constellation of Taurus the Bull. The Taurids start here and then randomly streak through the sky.

Not sure where Tauris is? Look for Orion (the saucepan) and then find the red star (Aldebaran) in the north – that’s the bull’s eye.

“The rates are low, so be prepared to look for a while,” Cooke said.

Best places to see the Taurids

For the best show, you want to have the least light.

Anywhere out of the main cities should offer a fantastic view.

You could also head to one of Australia’s many observatories, as long as you book first.