☄️ Three meteor showers not to miss, and it's happening now!

Several meteor showers are crossing our atmosphere this November, creating luminous trails visible to the naked eye from Earth. This regular astronomical phenomenon results from our planet encountering streams of cosmic dust. The promised observation conditions for this year make this event particularly interesting for astronomy enthusiasts.

These meteor showers correspond to periods when Earth crosses the orbit of comets that have left behind clouds of particles. When penetrating our atmosphere at very high speeds, these space debris heat up and create the luminous trails we observe from the ground. November is traditionally rich in this type of celestial display with three major showers that follow one another in the night sky.

The Taurids, unique meteors

The Southern Taurids reached their peak intensity around November 4. This shower is distinguished by its long period of activity that extends over several weeks. The meteors that compose it are renowned for their exceptional brightness and relative slowness compared to other showers. Their entry speed into the atmosphere approaches 27 kilometers per second (about 60,000 mph), allowing for easier observation.

The Taurids' radiant, the point from which the meteors appear to originate, is located in the constellation Taurus. This region of the sky is easily identifiable thanks to the Pleiades cluster which serves as a visual reference point. The Northern Taurids reached their peak activity around November 11, presenting characteristics similar to their southern counterpart with a frequency of about five meteors per hour.

The particularity of the Taurids lies in their regular production of fireballs, particularly bright meteors that can surpass the planet Venus in luminous intensity. These spectacular phenomena result from fragments larger than average, probably coming from Comet Encke. Their observation requires no special optical instruments.

The Leonids, a shower with potential surprises

The Leonids will represent the highlight of the month with their peak expected on November 16 and 17. This shower generated by Comet Tempel-Tuttle is characterized by the high speed of its meteors, which can reach 70 kilometers per second (about 156,000 mph). Their luminous trail often persists for several seconds after their passage, offering a striking spectacle.

The constellation Leo, located in the eastern part of the sky, will serve as a reference point for locating the Leonids' radiant. The best time for observation is between midnight and dawn, when the constellation reaches its highest position in the sky. The usual frequency is around fifteen meteors per hour under optimal conditions.

The history of the Leonids is marked by exceptional episodes where activity increased considerably, creating true meteor storms. The periodicity of these storms is linked to the return of the parent comet to the inner solar system, with next peaks of intense activity expected around 2031 (the last major event dating back to 2002).