Skywatch: meteor showers of Taurides and Leonids have arrived | WBNS-10TV Columbus, Ohio

When the sky is empty this week, take the time to look into the night sky and Sunday night, you can use the moon to help you easily locate Saturn, a magnificent view if you have a correct telescope. Both will be in the southwestern sky after sunset. The moon will be just above and to the left of the ringed planet.

The North Taurid meteor shower is also expected to peak on Sunday night. The shower is caused by the debris of comet Encke. Although it is not a particularly active shower (you are lucky to get more than 5 to 8 meteors per hour), it produces fireballs. These slow and very bright meteors are memorable if you have the chance to see one. Rain is most active around midnight, when the constellation of Taurus is the highest in the sky. The constellation will be almost overhead in the sky at this time Sunday evening. As always, find a dark place, far from the city, to enjoy the show to the fullest.

Venus has again earned the nickname "Morning Star" and it will be easy to spot this week. The planet has this nickname because it is the third brightest object in the night sky behind the sun and the moon. As a result, it is out of sight because of the sun's glare later than any star in the night sky. Look in the eastern sky about an hour before sunrise and it will shine. Arcturus, the brightest star of Bootes, is not far away.

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Thursday morning, the moon will reach the first quarter at 9:54. The half moon will be visible that night.

When you spot the half-moon, look for the red planet. It will pass extremely close to the planet Mars Thursday night. Both will be in the southern sky and Mars will be almost directly to the right of the bright moon with a reddish hue.

One of the big meteors of the year culminates this week and early next week. The meteor shower Leonid peaks every year around 17 and 18 November. It is caused by the debris of the comet Tempel-Tuttle. The moon is clearing this week, which will prevent much of the shower, but it goes down just after one hour on Saturday morning, which means you'll have a few hours of viewing under a moonless sky. Look east to the Lion constellation for shower radiation. If you get far enough from the city, you will see between 10 and 20 meteors at the hour. Good hunt!