On the night of November 4, as a full supermoon rises and tilts the sky toward brightness, the Southern Taurid meteor shower reaches its peak, a faint procession of dust grains left behind by Comet 2P/Encke. The moon will drown most of the modest streaks, yet the rare, slow fireballs this stream leaves behind have a way of outshining the glare, reminding us that the sky's quieter events still have their own kind of drama. It is one small chapter in a yearly rhythm in which old comets keep scattering their debris across our skies, and those who look up are invited to notice what remains visible
Southern Taurid Meteor Shower Peaks Nov. 4 With Bright Fireballs Under a Supermoon
What the Taurids lack in number they make up for in brightness
Mark
So the headline is a meteor shower under a supermoon. Why is that interesting if the moon ruins the view?
Mimi
Because the Southern Taurids are known for fireballs, which are bright and slow. Those are the meteors most likely to cut through moonlight.
Mark
How many should people expect?
Mimi
Not many. About five an hour around midnight at the peak.
Luke
And that's a forecast rate, not a promise. The reporting says fireballs "may" be visible through the glare. Nobody can say how many people will actually see one.
Mark
Where should they look?
Mimi
After dark on Nov. 4, Taurus rises in the east beneath the moon. But fireballs can show up anywhere in the sky.
Mark
Is the Nov. 4 night the only chance?
Mimi
No, the peak is broad, so meteors could appear all week. The shower is active from Sept. 20 to Nov. 20.
Luke
Worth noting the timings are for mid-northern latitudes. Anyone elsewhere needs to check a local tool like Stellarium; the article doesn't give local times.
Mark
And what comes after?
Mimi
The Northern Taurids on Nov. 11-12 with a late-rising moon, then the Leonids on Nov. 16-17 at about 15 an hour.
O Pulso
- The Southern Taurids peak overnight November 4-5, but only about five meteors per hour are expected at midnight.
- A full supermoon, the year's biggest and brightest since 2019, threatens to wash out the faint streaks skywatchers hope to catch.
- Slow, bright Taurid fireballs, born from dust shed by Comet 2P/Encke, may still blaze through the moonlight and draw attention overhead.
- Watchers are advised to look toward Taurus after dark, though fireballs can appear anywhere, with the Northern Taurids and Leonids to follow soon after.
On the night of November 4, as a full supermoon rises and tilts the sky toward brightness, the Southern Taurid meteor shower reaches its peak, a faint procession of dust grains left behind by Comet 2P/Encke. The moon will drown most of the modest streaks, yet the rare, slow fireballs this stream leaves behind have a way of outshining the glare, reminding us that the sky's quieter events still have their own kind of drama. It is one small chapter in a yearly rhythm in which old comets keep scattering their debris across our skies, and those who look up are invited to notice what remains visible when the brightest light is present.
On the night of Tuesday, November 4, skywatchers in the Northern Hemisphere have a chance at one of the sky's quieter spectacles: the Southern Taurid meteor shower, arriving just as a supermoon climbs into view. The two events overlap in a way that is usually bad news for meteor watching, and the trade-off is what makes this week worth knowing about.
The shooting stars are dust grains that burn up on entering Earth's atmosphere. The Taurids trace back to Comet 2P/Encke, which circles the sun every 3.3 years and keeps seeding the inner solar system with debris. That debris feeds two showers, the Southern and the Northern Taurids.
The Southern Taurids peak overnight on November 4-5, with a broad window that allows meteors to appear throughout the week. Numbers are modest, about five per hour near midnight, but the shower is prized for its brightness. Slow fireballs are expected, bright enough that astronomers have given some of them their own name.
The full beaver moon, the year's biggest supermoon, complicates things. Moonlight normally washes out fainter streaks, yet fireballs are bright enough to still show through the glare. The best vantage is after dark, looking toward Taurus, though fireballs can appear anywhere overhead. For exact timing at your location, planetarium tools such as Stellarium are recommended.
The calendar offers more ahead. The Northern Taurids peak November 11-12, when a later-rising moon leaves more of the night dark. Then the Leonids arrive November 16-17, promising around 15 fast meteors per hour under darker skies before the new moon on November 20.
On the night of Tuesday, Nov. 4, skywatchers in the Northern Hemisphere get a chance at one of the sky's quieter spectacles: the peak of the Southern Taurid meteor shower, arriving just after the rise of a supermoon. The two events overlap in a way that is usually bad for meteor watching, and the details of that trade-off are what make this week worth knowing about.
The shooting stars themselves are bits of dust that burn up as they hit Earth's atmosphere. In the case of the Taurids, the dust was left in the inner solar system by Comet 2P/Encke, which circles the sun every 3.3 years. Because it returns so often, the comet keeps replenishing the inner solar system with meteor streams. It feeds two showers, the Southern and the Northern Taurids.
The Southern Taurids are active from Sept. 20 to Nov. 20 and peak overnight on Nov. 4-5. The peak is broad, so meteors may turn up at any point during the week. Numbers are modest: around five meteors per hour are expected near midnight at the maximum. What the shower lacks in count, it makes up for in brightness. Slow-moving fireballs are expected, and some Taurids are bright enough that astronomers have given them that name.
The supermoon complicates matters. November's full beaver moon is the year's biggest supermoon, and the closest and brightest full moon since 2019. Moonlight generally washes out the fainter streaks, which is why a bright moon is always unwelcome news for meteor viewing. Taurid fireballs, however, are bright enough that they may still show through the glare.
The best window opens after dark on Nov. 4, when Taurus, the constellation from which the Taurids appear to radiate, climbs the eastern sky beneath the moon. Fireballs are not confined to that corner, though, and can appear anywhere overhead. The times and dates apply to mid-northern latitudes. For location-specific timing, online planetarium tools such as Stellarium are the suggested resource.
The calendar offers more to follow. The Northern Taurids are active from Oct. 20 to Dec. 10 and peak overnight Nov. 11-12, when the moon will be at its last quarter phase and rising late, leaving more of the night dark. Then come the Leonids, peaking overnight Nov. 16-17. They are expected to produce about 15 fast-moving meteors per hour, under darker skies ahead of the new moon on Nov. 20.
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Science & Space