Southern Taurid meteor shower
When: Wednesday, Oct. 9 into Thursday, Oct 10
Immediately following the Draconids will be the Southern Taurids, the second meteor shower to peak in as many nights.
Similar to the Draconids, the Southern Taurids are a minor shower with fewer than 10 meteors per hour, but don’t let the slim numbers discourage you.“ The Taurids are rich in fireballs,” the American Meteor Society said on their website.
Fireballs are meteors that appear incredibly bright as they streak through the sky. They can be so bright that they can cast shadows on the ground for several seconds. Mainly clear skies will allow for uninterrupted viewing conditions for much of the U.S. on Wednesday night with the exception of widespread clouds over the northern Plains, as well as along the coastal Northeast.
Folks that miss these meteor showers do not have to wait long for another opportunity to spot some shooting stars. The Orionid meteor shower peaks later this month on the night of Oct. 21 into Oct. 22 and usually brings around 20 meteors per hour. Where to look in the sky during a meteor shower
One of the biggest misconceptions with meteor showers is that you need to look in a certain part of the sky to see shooting stars, when the opposite is true. During the peak of a meteor shower, meteors are visible in all areas of the sky, not just near the radiant point.
“You want to get as much sky in your field of view as possible,” Samuhel said. “My favorite approach to meteor viewing is to find a conformable lounge chair or even just a yoga mat to lie on.“