November 11, there is going to be a Northern Taurid meteor shower that could produce fireballs. The Northern Taurid has been active since mid-October, but the shower will peak Monday into Tuesday night.
The moon will be about 79% full when the Northern Taurid peak, which could make spotting meteors earlier in the evening more challenging. You’ll be able to see it the best after midnight when the moon is closer to setting, allowing clear skies and better visibility.
The Taurid originates from the comet Encke, which has the shortest orbit of any known comet in the solar system, taking 3.3 years to complete a full trip around the sun.
Most meters are usually around 20 micrometers and around 1 meter in size, but according to NASA, fireballs are larger, giving them a brighter appearance. Fireballs are usually so bright they even outshine Venus.
Fireballs can be visible for longer periods of time, leaving behind trains and smoke trails. A train trail is a shining trail of ionized and excited air molecules left behind after the meteor passes, usually lasting a few seconds and on rare occasions even lasting several minutes.
Smoke trails are more often visible during daylight hours; they resemble the contrails left by airplanes.
The next meteor shower coming is called the Leonids; it will peak on Nov 16-17, 2024 night. On this night, the moon will be 98% full.
