How to see November's dazzling meteor showers, bright fireballs

Sky watchers will have plenty of opportunities to see meteors shooting across the night sky during the next two weeks with two autumn meteor showers reaching their peak — the Northern Taurids and the Leonids.

Those meteor showers are already active, with just a few shooting stars visible in dark skies, but they will soon be reaching their peak as the Earth moves through the debris fields of asteroids or comets.

In addition to some dazzling shooting stars, these two meteor showers can produce some bright fireballs as well.

When to see the Northern Taurid meteor shower

The annual Northern Taurid meteor shower started in mid-October but is expected to be at its best during the late night and early morning hours on Nov. 5 (Election Day) through Nov. 12, with about eight to 12 meteors per hour zipping across the sky, according to Space.com.

Experts say viewing this year should be good, because the moon won’t be giving off too much light in the night sky.

“The moon was new on Nov. 1, and by Nov. 7, it will stay up until around 9:40 p.m. local time,” Space.com notes. “By the morning of Nov. 12, it will be up until about 2:30 a.m., leaving the rest of the night dark for meteor viewing.”

The Northern Taurids originated from an old asteroid known as asteroid 2004 TG10, according to the Star Walk astronomy website.

When to see the Leonid meteor shower

Known as one of the top meteor showers of the autumn season because of its bright fireballs, the Leonids started to be visible on Nov. 3 but are expected to be at their best from the late-night hours on Sunday, Nov. 17 into the early morning hours on Monday, Nov. 18.

Experts from EarthSky.org say another good viewing time might be during the pre-dawn hours Sunday morning, Nov. 17.

Light from the November moon, however, may dampen the view of this meteor shower. The moon turns full on Nov. 15 and it will still be about 90% to 95% illuminated during the Leonid’s peak period, but about 10 to 15 meteors per hour are expected to be visible from dark locations.

Space.com says the Leonids — which are tied to a comet known as 55P/Temple-Tuttle — are among the fastest meteors of any major shower, “zipping through the sky at 44 miles per second.”

Rapid speeds like that “tend to produce bright and colorful meteors with hues of white, blue, aquamarine and even green, which leave long-lasting streaks or trains in their wake,” the space website says.

Tips for meteor shower viewing

You can see the meteors shooting across the sky from almost any location, but astronomy experts say you increase your chances of getting a good view if you go to a park or open area in a rural place, as far away as possible from bright city lights and street lights.

Good timing also helps. Even though some meteors may be visible as early as 10 p.m., experts say your opportunity to see more shooting stars will be better between midnight and early dawn.

You don’t need a telescope or binoculars — just your own set of eyes. But you should give your eyes about 20 minutes to adjust to the dark when you’re looking up into the night sky.

Since outdoor temperatures are now on the cold side at night and overnight, remember to wear enough layers to keep warm, and bring a blanket or reclining lawn chair, so you can look straight up into the sky. Experts say it’s better to look at the entire sky, not just the origin point of the meteor shower.

If the moon is giving off a lot of light, either wait for it to dip lower in the sky or look as far away from the moonlight as possible.