Taurid Fireballs Set to Streak Across Arizona Skies

The Southern Taurids are expected to reach their peak overnight on November 4-5, with the Northern Taurids following on November 11-12. The annual showers are active through November and December, respectively, as Earth passes through debris associated with Comet Encke and other objects.

Each shower may produce around five meteors per hour. Taurid meteors tend to move more slowly and can create particularly bright fireballs, with colors such as green, blue, yellow or orange. Their apparent starting point is near the constellation Taurus, which rises in the eastern sky during November evenings.

In Arizona, observers can start looking after 7 p.m., with the hours from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. offering a better chance to see meteors. Around midnight, Taurus is high in the southeastern sky. Rather than watching the constellation itself, look at a nearby patch of sky, where meteors may leave longer trails.

Choose a dark location with a clear view of the eastern sky. Around the Phoenix area, the towns of Queen Creek and San Tan Valley, as well as Gold Canyon, offer options away from some urban light pollution. Give your eyes 20 to 30 minutes to adjust to the dark, and avoid using binoculars or a telescope so you can see more of the sky.