Taurid Meteor Shower 2008

Space Weather News for Nov 6, 2008

TAURID METEOR SHOWER: The annual Taurid meteor shower is underway and it could be a good show.

2008 is a "swarm year" for the Taurids. Between Nov 5th and 12th, Earth is due to pass through an unusually dense swarm of gritty debris from parent comet 2P/Encke.

When a similar encounter happened in 2005, sky watchers observed a slow drizzle of midnight fireballs for nearly two weeks. Whether 2008 will be as good as 2005, however, remains to be seen. In 2005, the swarm encounter was more central; Earth passed through the middle of the cloud. In 2008, forecasters believe we are closer to the outskirts. How much this will affect the shower, no one knows.

The best time to look is during the hours around midnight when the constellation Taurus is high in the sky.

Visit SpaceWeather.com for sky maps and photos of the ongoing shower.

:~:

And last year at Taurid Meteor time came the exploding comet Holmes - good times!

shake your Comet Tail feathers

Space Weather News for Nov. 9, 2007

COMET TAIL: Exploding Comet 17P/Holmes continues to amaze onlookers. On Nov. 8th and 9th part of the comet's blue tail broke away in view of many backyard telescopes.

Visit SpaceWeather.com to see photos of the "disconnection event" and speculation about what might have caused it.

TAURID METEOR SHOWER: The annual Northern Taurid meteor shower caused by Comet Encke peaks on Nov. 12th. Although Taurid rates are normally low, only about five meteors per hour, those five can be doozies. The shower is a well-known producer of slow, bright fireballs visible at all hours of the night. If you're outside after dark this weekend, be alert for Taurids.

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Original alert: Comet exploding in Perseus!