Big Fireballs: Taurid meteor shower has arrived – CBS News 8 – San Diego, CA News Station

By Doyle Rice and Elizabeth Weise, United States Today

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If you see fireballs spinning into the night sky this week, do not panic: it's just the annual Taurid Meteor Shower Tour.

"The Taurides are not known for their high numbers, but rather for the fireballs that they produce," said the American Meteor Society in a statement.

Fireballs are only extremely bright meteors, added Joe Rao of Space.com.

The company said the Taurides rain emitted about two to ten meteors in the sky at the time. Although meteors can be seen at any time from late October to November, this year's peak will be from November 5th to 12th. They will be visible in North America.

It will be a good year for the Taurides, as there will be no full moon to light up the sky and disrupt the view, Rao said.

"The annual Taurid meteor shower is taking place and our meteorite cameras are in constant operation," said Bill Cooke, head of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office. "Individuals should not be surprised if they see a bright meteor or a fireball over the next few nights."

There are actually two branches of this shower: the Southern Taurids and the Northern Taurids. Both showers will seem to come from the constellation of the bull the bull.

Northern Taurids are visible to the north of the constellation, the opposite being true for southern Taurids, the Science Alert website said.

The best time to search for Taurides is after midnight, when it is high in the sky and when the sky is black and clear, with no moonlight to mask the weakest meteors, said NASA.

The Taurid meteor shower is the result of tiny pieces of dust and ice debris left by the comet Encke orbiting the sun.

When the Earth crosses this trail of cosmic debris, particles (traveling at 100,000 km / h) burn in the atmosphere, creating trails of fire called meteors, shooting stars or shooting.

There will be another chance later this month to see bright trails in the sky when Leonid meteor shower will also come in. The much stronger Leonid rain is expected to peak around November 17th.