Orionid And Taurid Meteor Showers Lighting Skies Over Oceanside

OCEANSIDE, CA — Meteor showers continue to appear in the skies over Oceanside in November with the Orionids and the Taurids.

The Orionids meteor shower peaked on Oct. 21st but continue through Nov. 7th. The Orionids appear to radiate from the constellation Orion the Hunter but can be seen anywhere in the sky. They are the most prolific meteor shower associated with Halley's Comet and were produced by dust grains left behind by the ancient comet Halley.

The Orionids are fast-moving and sometimes produce fireballs, which could be bright enough to overcome the glare of moonlight. For the best viewing, Space.com recommends you find the shape of Orion, the hunter, the meteor shower's radiant (or point of origin) will be near Orion's sword, slightly north of his left shoulder (the star Betelgeuse). But don't stare straight at this spot because meteors close to the radiant have short trails and are harder to see — so you want to look away from Orion.

As is the case with most nighttime skywatching events, light pollution can hinder your view of the Orionid meteor shower. If possible, get far away from city lights, which can hinder the show. Go out around 1:30 a.m. and let your eyes adjust to the dark for about 20 minutes. Bundle up against the cold if necessary. Lie back and use only your eyes to watch the sky. Binoculars and telescopes won't improve the view, because they are designed to see more stationary objects in the sky.

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The Taurids will peak from Nov. 4-5th and again Nov. 11-12th. This is a long-running minor meteor shower that produces only about five or 10 shooting stars an hour. It's unusual not only because of its duration — it runs from Sept. 7 to Dec. 10 — but also because it consists of two distinct branches: the South Taurids, which peak Nov. 4-5, and the North Taurids, which peak Nov. 11-12.

Both streams appear to originate from the constellation Taurus the Bull. You might see South or North Taurids throughout October and into November.

The South Taurids are the better known of the two showers. You might see a South Taurid meteor anytime from about September 10 to November 20. That’s when Earth is plowing through the meteor stream – the stream of comet debris in space – that creates this meteor shower.

The North Taurids stem from a nearby, but slightly different stream. They’re active from about October 20 to December 10. Both showers produce about 5 meteors per hour (10 total when they overlap). And they’ve been known to produce fireballs, or especially bright meteors. So they’re worth your time!

There’s some evidence that higher rates of Taurid fireballs happen in 7-year cycles. And the last grand fireball display was in 2015. Photos and video of Taurid fireballs here.

The long-lasting South and North Taurid showers will be producing meteors throughout October and into November and December. And, when you block out some meteor-watching time for yourself, be aware of the moon phase. The moon will be waning again in the last few days of October and will feature a waning crescent rising shortly before sunup again, always fun to see. And new moon will come again on November 4, 2021.

The southern branch of the Taurid meteor shower is produced by the dust grains left behind Asteroid 2004 TG10, and the source of the northern branch is debris left behind by Comet 2P Encke. Both streams are rich in fireballs. At the peak, a new moon will make for dark skies. The shooting stars appear to radiate from the constellation Taurus, but you'll be able to see them anywhere in the sky.

When the two showers are active simultaneously in late October and early November, there is sometimes a notable increase in the fireball activity. For more info on the Taurids Meteor shower, visit: EarthSky.org

Skywatchers will have even more meteor showers to pick from through the remainder of the year:

Leonids, Nov. 16-17: The Leonid meteor shower, produced by dust grains left behind by comet Tempel-Tuttle, runs annually from Nov. 6-30. The Leonids have a cyclonic peak about every 33 years, when hundreds of meteors an hour can be seen — as last happened in 2001 — but this will be an average year with about 15 shooting stars an hour at the peak. A nearly full moon will be troublesome, but the Leonids are known for producing particularly bright shooting stars that even bright moonlight can't blot out. The meteors appear to originate from the constellation Leo.

Geminids, Dec. 13-14: The Geminid meteor shower, which runs from Dec. 4-17, is one of the best shooting star shows of the year. Produced by debris left behind by the asteroid 3200 Phaethon, discovered in 1982, the Geminids produce anywhere from 50 to 120 multicolored meteors an hour at the peak. A waxing gibbous moon at the peak will block some out, but they are so prolific and bright that the 2021 show should be a good one. The meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Gemini, but you'll be able to see them anywhere in the sky.

Ursids, Dec. 21: The Ursid meteor shower runs from Dec. 17-26 and always peaks around the winter solstice. The Ursids are fairly low-key, delivering five or 10 meteors an hour, but on rare occasions can produce outbursts of 100 or more meteors an hour. The meteors appear to come from the Ursa Minor constellation.

Sources: EarthSky.org, Space.com, AMSMeteors.org