Quick Facts
- Zenithal Hourly Rate: 5
- Peak Date: October 10 (Southern Taurids), November 9 (Northern Taurids)
- Source: Comet 2P/Encke
- Speed: 18 miles (29 km) per second
With the low number of meteors, you might think the Taurid Meteor Shower is not worth making an effort to see. But you’d be wrong. What these meteors lack in frequency they make up for with brightness. The Taurids are known for having a high percentage of bright fireball (or bolide) meteors. You don’t have to worry about perfect weather or moon phase on a single night. The peak of this meteor shower is very spread out, centered on 2 different dates a month apart. So any night you can get out between October and November you are likely to see something if you’re patient. Because of the brightness of the typical meteor, light pollution and moon phase does not matter as much. The long nights this time of year provide plenty of time for stargazing.
Source
Comet Encke is the source of the Taurid meteor shower. Encke is a small comet with a nucleus measuring 2.98 miles (4.8 km) across. It has a very short orbital period of only 3.3 years. In fact this is the shortest of any known comets in the solar system. The last perihelion was in October 2023 and the next one will be in February 2027. 2P/Encke was first discovered in 1786. But the orbit was calculated in 1818 by Johann Franz Encke, who it was named after. The Taurid meteor stream is the largest in the inner solar system. But over time it has become very spread out, which is why the Taurids meteor shower last for weeks instead of days. There is also a 3rd meteor shower caused by 2P/Encke called the Beta Taurids. This peaks at the end of June as a daytime meteor shower so it is not easily observed. It has been theorized that the Tunguska Event was a Beta Taurid meteor.
Numbers and Speed
Both the Southern Taurids and Northern Taurids have a very low ZHR of only 5. But it’s not about the numbers with this meteor shower. With a speed of only 18 miles per second, this is the slowest of all meteor showers. Many people are surprised to learn that a typical meteor is only the size of a grain of sand. But this is not so with the Taurids. This meteor stream consists of weightier materials about the size of a pebble. This is large enough to create brilliant fireballs as bright as the full moon. Just catching one of these is enough to make your night. Taurid meteors may be seen at lesser rates anywhere from September 23 to December 8th. There will also be considerable overlap with 3 other autumn meteor showers: the Draconids, Orionids, and Leonids. Identifying the source of a meteor may be a challenge, but if it’s very bright and slow it’s likely to be a Taurid.
Radiant
The Taurids have split themselves into two meteor streams with two different radiants. But they are both close together. These radiants are hard to map out because they move from night to night. With other meteor showers this movement is negligible, but since the Taurids last so long the movement of the radiant is more noticeable. Both radiants will begin on the west side of the constellation Taurus, moving slightly east every night. The star map below is for the night of October 25, directly in between the 2 peak dates. Taurus will be rising in the east almost as soon as darkness falls. It will stay up all night, moving to the western sky before dawn. But as with all meteor showers, knowing the radiant location is not super important, because meteors may appear anywhere in the sky.
This Year
Any year is a great year to see Taurids. They are unaffected by moonlight for 2 reasons. Firstly they are so bright that the darkness of the sky makes little difference. Secondly because the meteor shower is spread out over a month or more, you don’t have to observe on an exact date. You can choose to observe on a New Moon night if you prefer. That is what I’d recommend if you want to be able to see the Milky Way, northern lights, or other faint objects in a telescope at the same time. In 2025, the full moon falls on October 6th and November 5th. The New Moon falls on October 21st and November 19th. The Southern Taurids are expected to peak on October 10th and the Northern Taurids on November 9th. Late October can be an excellent time to watch as well, which is why the Taurids also have a nickname of the Halloween Fireballs.
Viewing Tips
- Get to the darkest skies you can. Light pollution will drown out all but the brightest of meteors. Use the light pollution map or dark site list to find a viewing spot near you.
- Let your eyes adjust to the darkness. The longer you look the more stars and fainter meteors you’ll see. Any bright lights or phone screens will hinder your view. A dim red flashlight or headlamp is best for getting around.
- Turn off your headlights as soon as you park your car. Be considerate if other stargazers are around so you don’t ruin their view.
- A beach chair or camping chair that reclines will be the most comfortable. Otherwise laying flat on the ground on a blanket is fine. You want to take in as much sky as possible so you don’t miss anything.
- Bring warm clothes. You start to feel cold fast when you’re not moving.
- Hot chocolate or coffee is helpful for staying awake.
- Be patient. Meteors are often spaced unevenly. Sometimes 10 minutes may pass without seeing any and then suddenly there are 10 in a single minute.
- Head over to How to Photograph a Meteor Shower for more photography tips
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