Tonight's Meteor Shower Peak May Be the Brightest Out of the Three Expected This Month — How to See It

Stephanie Vermillion

4 November 2024 at 8:00 am·2-min read

Southern Taurid meteor shower peaks overnight tonight and will be most active around midnight.

Dennis Astroth/Getty Images Perseids meteor shower — Dennis Astroth/Getty Images
Perseids meteor shower

November may have three meteor showers, but only one will coincide with a dim, near-to-new moon: the Southern Taurids.

This interstellar display, which runs from Sept. 23 through Dec. 8, will peak overnight tonight, according to the American Meteor Society It’s not the most action-packed of the year’s meteor showers, but if you find yourself in a dark-sky destination, such as a stargazing hotel, or you can get far from city lights, it’s worth staying up late. The Southern Taurids often produce one of the most coveted night-sky sightings — colorful and eye-popping meteors, known as fireballs. Here’s how to catch the show.

When to See the Southern Taurid Meteor Shower

The Southern Taurids are visible nearly everywhere on Earth outside of the South Pole. The shower peaks overnight from Nov. 4 to 5, and will be most active around midnight, according to EarthSky.org.That said, the Southern Taurids don’t have a major activity spike like other showers, so you can also head out to watch for shooting stars in the nights following this as well.

The early November timing is ideal because, on this night, the moon is in its waxing crescent phase and only 11 percent illuminated, meaning our lunar spotlight won’t wash out the shooting stars and fireballs.

Where to Look for the Souther Taurid Meteor Shower

The Southern Taurids will be visible near the Taurus constellation, which rises in the eastern sky soon after dark. It will be high in the sky around midnight; look for Mars and Jupiter, both nearby, as you await the bright sky streaks. (Although temper your expectations: this is a mild show, with only around 10 meteors per hour at peak.)

For optimal Southern Taurids viewing, head to a dark-sky spot with clear overhead views, such as a hilltop or a large field. You don’t need a telescope or binoculars for your Southern Taurids chase, but a blanket, warm coat, and headlamp with red-light capabilities will help you stay safe and cozy throughout the night.

If you want to catch another meteor shower this month, watch for the Southern Taurids’ partner shower, the Northern Taurid meteor shower, which peaks Nov. 11 to 12. This display does coincide with a bright, nearly full moon, so if you’re choosing just one shower to chase, make it Nov. 4.

The Telegraph
Ten dead after volcano erupts on popular tourist island in Indonesia
At least 10 people are dead after a volcano in eastern Indonesia erupted multiple times overnight, spewing fireballs and ash on surrounding villages.
Associated Press
Japanese nuclear reactor that restarted 13 years after Fukushima disaster is shut down again
A Japanese nuclear reactor that restarted last week for the first time in more than 13 years after it had survived a massive 2011 earthquake and tsunami that badly damaged the nearby Fukushima nuclear plant was shut down again Monday due to an equipment problem, its operator said. The No. 2 reactor at the Onagawa nuclear power plant on Japan’s northern coast was put back online on Oct. 29 and had been expected to start generating power in early November. The reactor was operating normally and there was no release of radiation into the environment, Tohoku Electric said.
The Guardian
Heatwave to turn parts of Australia into ‘one of the hottest places in the world’ this week
Some of the east coast and the north will bake in a furnace of potentially life-threatening heat, the Bureau of Meteorology forecasts
The Telegraph
Flood survivor endured three days trapped at home next to dead relative
An 87-year-old woman was rescued after three days trapped with the body of her dead sister-in-law after the Valencia floods.
The Independent
How Spain’s ‘catastrophic’ floods led to over 200 deaths - explained through pictures
Floods left cars piled up like toys in streets, swallowed homes, and covered entire neighbourhoods in sludge as authorities report 217 fatalities
People
A New Species of 'Crocodile Newt' Has Been Discovered — Here’s What That Means
Researchers describe the new species as having "large" eyes and "v"-shaped teeth, according to a new peer-reviewed study
Reuters
Chinese solar firms, ever-nimble, go further afield where US tariffs don't reach
Some of the biggest Chinese-owned solar factories in Vietnam are cutting production and laying off workers, spurred on by the expansion of U.S. trade tariffs targeting it and three other Southeast Asian countries. Meanwhile, in nearby Indonesia and Laos, a slew of new Chinese-owned solar plants are popping up, out of the reach of Washington's trade protections. Chinese solar firms have repeatedly shrunk output in existing hubs while building new factories in other countries, allowing them to sidestep tariffs and dominate the U.S. and global markets despite successive waves of U.S. tariffs over more than a decade designed to rein them in.
The Independent
Rare November hurricane set to hit the US – here’s the projected path
AccuWeather reported that the hurricane’s most probable US landfall will be the Louisiana coast
INSIDER
A NATO country rejected offshore wind farms it said could slow its response to a Russian missile attack
Sweden has dropped plans for 13 wind farms in the Baltic Sea over security concerns. Wind turbines could slow its missile response, its army said.
The Independent
Is it safe to travel to Spain and should I cancel my holiday after flooding disaster?
Flooding has severly impacted the Valencia region and now Barcelona is experiencing torrential rain
Associated Press
Crashing waves in a hilltop village, a night of terror from Spain's floods
Irene Cuevas will never forget the sound of the waves crashing below her apartment’s balcony. “It was a constant fear because we didn’t have light to see by," Cuevas told The Associated Press. Cuevas, a 48-year-old embryologist, is a resident of Chiva, a village perched on a hill about 30 kilometers (18 miles) from Valencia city, whose southern outskirts were likewise ravaged by the floods on Tuesday and Wednesday.
BBC
Outpouring of unity in Spain as anger grows over slow response to floods
Hundreds of volunteers take up buckets and brooms in Valencia as the government bolsters its response to the devastating floods.
CNN
Tropical storm and hurricane alerts issued for Jamaica and the Cayman Islands
A broad area of low pressure in the western Caribbean Sea is becoming better organized and the National Hurricane Center is initiating advisories on the system as of 4 p.m. Sunday.
BBC
'Giant spiders' thriving in wild after zoo release
Thousands of spiders were released into the wild after a breeding programme at Chester Zoo.
Reuters
World's first wooden satellite, developed in Japan, heads to space
The world's first wooden satellite, built by Japanese researchers, was launched into space on Tuesday, in an early test of using timber in lunar and Mars exploration. LignoSat, developed by Kyoto University and homebuilder Sumitomo Forestry, will be flown to the International Space Station on a SpaceX mission, and later released into orbit about 400 km (250 miles) above the Earth. "With timber, a material we can produce by ourselves, we will be able to build houses, live and work in space forever," said Takao Doi, an astronaut who has flown on the Space Shuttle and studies human space activities at Kyoto University.
Associated Press
Tropical Storm Rafael forms in the Caribbean and could hit Cuba as a hurricane
Tropical Storm Rafael formed Monday in the Caribbean and will bring heavy rain to Jamaica and the Cayman Islands before strengthening into a hurricane and likely hitting Cuba, forecasters said. A tropical storm warning was in effect for Jamaica, and a hurricane watch was in effect for the Cayman Islands and for parts of Cuba including the provinces of Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, La Habana, Mayabeque, Matanzas, and the Isle of Youth.
People
Hurricane Rafael Is Expected to Develop, but Will the Storm Have an Impact on the U.S.?
Given "significant uncertainties," forecasters with the National Hurricane Center are uncertain about the storm's path and potential impact
The Guardian
Tropical Storm Rafael triggers hurricane warning for Cayman Islands
Storm expected to bring heavy rain to US Gulf coast later this week
HowStuffWorks
Inland Taipan: Most Venomous Snake in the World
Today, we're diving into the world of the most venomous snake on the planet: the inland taipan. This slithery predator isn't just the most dangerous in terms of venom strength; it's also a highly specialized creature that has adapted to life in some of the harshest environments on Earth.
CBC
Changes coming to fall waste pickup on Prince Edward Island
That old lawn furniture or dirty foam cooler you've been waiting to get rid of will be picked up curbside on a different schedule on Prince Edward Island this fall. Island Waste Management Corporation is changing its fall cleanup process and will now pick up excess waste on regular black cart curbside collection days during November. "Whenever you put your waste cart out during the month of November, you also put your fall cleanup items out at that same time," says Heather Myers, IWMC's disposal

When to See the Southern Taurid Meteor Shower

Where to Look for the Souther Taurid Meteor Shower

Latest stories