The Southern Taurid meteor shower reaches its second annual peak overnight on November 4–5. The event is associated with increased fireball activity, with up to five meteors per hour potentially visible. The Northern Taurids are forecast to reach their peak overnight on November 11–12, also at a rate of up to five meteors an hour.
Earth encounters the debris streams that create the Taurids each autumn as it passes through material left by Comet Encke. The shower has two branches: the Southern Taurids, active from September 20 to November 20, and the Northern Taurids, active from October 20 to December 10. Their meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Taurus, which rises in the southeast during November evenings.
Taurid fireballs can shine brighter than Venus. They form when pebble-sized pieces of debris enter and burn up in Earth’s atmosphere. The particles travel at about 65,000 miles per hour, producing streaks of light across the sky.
For the best chance of seeing meteors, find a dark location and look around midnight, when Taurus is high in the southeastern sky. Rather than watching the constellation itself, look at a patch of sky some distance away: meteors near the radiant tend to leave shorter trails. Telescopes and binoculars are not recommended, as they restrict the amount of sky in view. Allow 20–30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark.
Sources: Space.com.