The Northern Taurid meteor shower is expected to peak over South Africa on the night of 11 to 12 November, The South African reported.
Skywatchers should have good conditions for the peak. The Moon is expected to be only 4% lit, so very little moonlight should get in the way.
The International Meteor Organization named the night of 11 to 12 November as the peak of the shower. Its figures also gave the 4% Moon reading for that night.
According to NASA, the Northern Taurids could produce about five meteors per hour when viewing conditions are ideal. That is a low number compared with some other yearly meteor showers.
The shower is known instead for its fireballs. These are very bright meteors that can light up the night sky for a short moment.
Fireballs happen when larger pieces of space debris enter Earth’s atmosphere and burn up. The Taurid meteor streams are linked to debris left behind by Comet Encke.
The larger bits from this comet can make strong flashes of light as they travel through the atmosphere, the report said.
The meteors seem to come from the direction of the constellation Taurus. This is where the shower gets its name.
The peak night is not the only chance to see them. The shower is active from about 20 October to 10 December, so meteors can be seen before and after the peak.
The Taurid meteor showers can be seen from both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. This includes South Africa.
How well people see the shower will depend on local weather, light pollution and how much open sky they have. The report advised viewers to find a dark spot away from streetlights and other artificial light.
The meteors can cross many parts of the sky, even though they seem to start near Taurus. Because of this, there is no need to stare at one fixed point.
No telescope or binoculars are needed. The report said the naked eye is the best way to watch a meteor shower, because it lets people see a much wider part of the sky.
Viewers were also advised to check the weather forecast before going out. Cloud cover can easily block the view of the meteors, even on a dark night.
Source: this article is based on reporting by The South African. Image: The South African. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Entertainment desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Rirhandzu Baloyi writes about entertainment for Tzaneen Voice. Rirhandzu covers South African music, film, TV, streaming, awards and celebrity news, from amapiano and local soapies to Showmax and Netflix releases. Stories stick to what happened, who was involved and when fans can watch or listen.