The Illinois Sky Will Light Up With Four Meteor Showers This November
November brings a miraculous meeting of meteor showers to Illinois. With four astronomical phenomena coming together to celebrate the start of winter, Plains State residents should start planning stargazing getaways today. Meteor showers are best taken in late at night or right before dawn, which makes them easy to miss. Trust us, though, you don’t want to sleep on this opportunity to be stunned by the stars.
This November, the stars will align and bring together four different meteor showers: the Orionids, the Southern Taurids, the Northern Taurids, and the Leonids.
The Orionids peak in late October, but extend through the first week in November. This is one of the heavier Illinois meteor showers in early November. The Southern Taurids join the Orionids for a week of stunning star falls that you've gotta see.
Meteor showers are named after the constellations they appear near in the night sky, rather than their source. That's why we have the Southern and the Northern Taurids. Both appear near the constellation Taurus, but the Southern Taurids are formed by the comet Enke while the Taurids were formed by the asteroid 2004 TG10.
When they come together, though, the totally amazing can happen. Chances of fireball activity will be dramatically higher in the middle of November, when the Northern Taurids peak and the Southern Taurids are still swinging.
Last, and this year likely least, are the Leonids. The comet the causes them takes its time wandering through the galaxy, so its peaks are erratic and can occur decades apart. Even so, on clear nights, you should be able to see some bright spots from the showers. As it joins forces with other meteor showers, the chances of astronomical activity grow exponentially.
Stargazing is about the suspense and the surprise. You never know what you might see if you keep your eyes fixed on the sky. In 2007, for instance, Illinois residents watched this stunning fireball fall over Lake Michigan. That's the kind of sight that's worth losing some sleep over.
In Indiana, all you need to find a falling star is to escape the city lights and find an unobstructed view of the sky. We recommend rural areas and parks with peaks that take you above the treeline.
Where do you go to watch the skies in your home state? What’s the most awe-inspiring experience you’ve had stargazing in Illinois? We love hearing your stories and seeing your photos. Get in touch!
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Benjamin Clancy is the Illinois and Indiana writer at Only In Your State, a doctoral candidate at UNC Chapel Hill in Communication, and an artistic type who has attended the Vermont Studio Center residency in poetry writing and makes something like music as "little other." They grew up in Austin, Texas and currently live in Chicago, IL with their partner, two dogs, and a cat. Get in touch by emailing bclancy@onlyinyourstate.com.
