Meteor Shower Peaks This Weekend Over VA Skies

VIRGINIA — This weekend offers a good chance for stargazers to see meteors over Virginia skies.

The Northern Taurids are expected to peak overnight Saturday into Sunday. Active since mid-October, it’s the shorter-lived of the two streams, but still won’t wind down until about Dec. 2. Also, the Southern Taurids remain active through Dec. 8.

The Taurids aren’t the only reason to look up, though. Shooting stars will blaze across the sky throughout November, with the much anticipated Leonids peaking at mid-month, and continuing into early 2024. Toward the end of November, the moon will get in the way. For reference, the full beaver moon is on Nov. 27 this year.

Visibility will be dependent on the weather in Virginia, of course. Local forecasters from the National Weather Service call for mostly clear skies Friday through Monday.

There are plenty of chances to see the Taurids even if this weekend doesn’t work out.

Skywatchers can expect to see about 10 shooting stars an hour as the two meteor showers intersect.

The Leonids are just getting started, peaking Nov. 17-18, and continue through about Dec. 2.

Virginia State Parks has four parks designated as International Dark Sky Parks by the International Dark-Sky Association: Staunton River, James River, Natural Bridge and Sky Meadows.

Other spots for star-gazing include: Assateague Island National Seashore, Grayson Highlands State Park, James River State Park, Meadows of Dan, Natural Bridge State Park, Natural Chimneys Park, Rappahannock County Park, and Shenandoah National Park, according to Space Tourism Guide.

Skywatchers can expect to see about 10 shooting stars an hour as the two meteor showers intersect. Taurid meteors are slow, especially in contrast to last month’s beautiful Orionid meteor shower, whose shooting stars were second only to upcoming Leonid meteors in terms of speed.

• Bookmark This: 2023 Guide To Meteor Showers, Supermoons And Full Moons

The Geminds begin Nov. 19 and continue through Christmas Eve, peaking overnight Dec. 13-14. Put this one on the calendar. The Geminids are usually one of the strongest meteor showers of the year. Faithful stargazers have said this shower reliably produces a good number of bright, intensely colorful meteors before midnight. According to NASA, the Geminids can produce up to 120 meteors an hour at the peak.

The Ursid meteor shower intersects with the Geminids, running Dec. 13-24 and peaking Dec. 21-22. The Ursids are low-key, with only a sprinkling of meteors an hour.

And they intersect with the Quadrantids, potentially the strongest shower of the year, but also one of the hardest to catch. The Jan. 3-4 peak only lasts about six hours, and it’s often too cold at that time of year to spend too much time outside. Under dark skies, you could see 120 meteors an hour under a dark sky.

When the Quadrantids quiet down, meteor showers won’t reappear until spring 2024.