Meteors dazzle the night sky as the Northern Taurids peak: Here’s all you need to know about the cosmic event and what to look forward to if you missed it

Skywatchers got the best chance to witness the Northern Taurid meteor shower on Thursday November 12, as the yearly stream peaked in the night sky. The annual meteor shower looks like a fireball flying in the sky as the brightest fireballs remain visible on specific nights.

The Taurids, often known as the Halloween Fireballs due to their timing, are unique in consisting of two overlapping displays with the Southern and Northern Taurids, according to Space.com. The Southern part of the meteor shower peaked on October 14 and again on November 5, 2026, while the Northern part could be seen on Thursday.

The second display provided a chance to catch the phenomenon to those who missed the first one. The Northern Taurids offered a small yet bright display with five meteors each hour throughout the night, as predicted by the American Meteor Society.

What are the Taurids?

The Taurid meteor showers are produced from the debris of Comet Encke, visible mainly in October and November each year. The comet is about 3 miles wide and orbits the son every 3.3 years, according to Space.com. While both of its streams are active for a longer period of time, with the Southern being active from September 20 to November 20 this year and the Northern Taurids being active from October 20 to December 10, they peak only during specific nights.

According to Space.com, the celestial event occurs when the Earth moves through Comet Encke’s debris and small fragments enter the atmosphere at high speeds of 65,000 miles per hour. The particles catch fire and create a stunning display in the night sky.

The meteor showers get their name from the Taurus constellation, which they appear to originate from during the showers. According to National Geographic, upon tracing the stream of the meteor showers they seem to come from the constellation. However, the stars in the constellation are light-years away in deep space.

November 12 offered skywatchers good observing conditions

The peak of the North Taurid came with dark skies after the new moon on Monday, November 9. This allowed skywatchers a clear and moonlight free sky to witness the meteor shower. Most of the night was also predicted to be cloud free, with the clearest skies stretching from California to Texas. However, clouds were seen in the Northwest, Northeast and even the Great Lakes.

According to CNN, the Taurids are visible as fireballs brighter than Venus, which is one of the closest planets to Earth in the night sky. The brightness makes the cosmic event visible from the naked eye. However, only 1% of meteors are fireballs in most years, according to EarthSky. In some years the chances of fireballs rise to as high as 7%, the astronomy publication further reported.

According to EarthSky, the fireball projections were previously seen in 2008, 2015 and 2022, and the next predicted stream of fireballs is predicted in 2032.

What other cosmic events should you keep an eye out for this year?

If you missed the Taurids this year, you will have to wait for autumn next year to get a chance at witnessing the fireballs in the sky. However, there are still some cosmic events this year you can mark on your calendar.

• Mars and Jupiter to appear side by side

Both Mars and Jupiter will appear side by side on November 15 and 16 just before sunrise, according to the Nasa. Skywatchers will be able to witness the event with naked eyes. Jupiter will appear bright in a white glow, while Mars will have a reddish glow.

• Leonid meteor shower

The meteor stream will peak on the mornings of November 17 and 18, according to Nasa after the moon goes down. It is predicted that skywatchers might be able to see about 10 to 15 meteors each hour.

November concludes with a full supermoon on the 24th.

• Geminids meteor shower

The annual Geminids meteor shower will peak on December 13 and 14. The year’s celestial event will end with another supermoon on December 24, a day before Christmas.