The Southern Taurid meteor shower could bring bright fireballs this week

[FirstMichael76]

Skywatchers have a chance of spotting some spectacular meteors. Live Science reports that the American Meteor Society expected the Southern Taurids' fireball swarm to peak overnight on 4 and 5 November

The Southern Taurids are a minor shower, producing only a handful of meteors an hour. They are famous, though, for fireballs that can be at least as bright as Venus, using NASA's definition

Their parent is Comet 2P/Encke, about 4.8km across, which orbits the Sun every 3.3 years. Meteors appear to come from the constellation Taurus, and the best viewing is around midnight with the naked eye

More showers are on the way. The Northern Taurids peak on 11 and 12 November, the Leonids on 17 and 18 November with about 15 an hour, and the Geminids on 13 and 14 December with up to 120 an hour

Fireballs are worth staying up for, because even one bright meteor can be unforgettable. The Taurids are slow and often colourful, which makes them great for beginners. With several showers coming before Christmas, this is a lovely season for stargazing

Have you ever seen a fireball? And which meteor shower is your favourite to watch?

Southern Taurid meteor shower could bring fireballs this week - when and where to lookwww.livescience.com

[Rachel83]

I saw a Taurid fireball years ago and still remember it. It lit up the whole sky for a second. Slow and bright, nothing like a normal shooting star

[Scholar]

Leonids are my favourite because of their history. The great storms of 1833 and 1966 were legendary. Nothing like that is expected this year

Still, you never know. Hope springs eternal