The Night Sky In Missouri Will Light Up With Three Different Meteor Showers This November
Eyes to the skies, Missouri! November’s a busy month in the sky, making it the perfect time to get outdoors to do some stargazing. In fact, you’ll have the opportunity to witness three meteor showers in Missouri this month – the Southern Taurids, the Northern Taurids, and the Leonids. Here’s everything you need to know to see one of nature’s most spectacular shows.
During these uncertain times, please keep safety in mind and consider adding destinations to your bucket list to visit at a later date.
The skies above Missouri will feature three active meteor showers throughout the month of November 2020, beginning with the Southern Taurids and the Northern Taurids. The Taurids earned their names from the constellation Taurus.
While the Southern Taurids meteors peaked in early October, you’ll still have a chance to catch them through around November 20, 2020. Both the Southern and the Northern Taurids will be visible during an overlapping time in November.
The two meteor showers are seen annually during the final three months of the year. However, both the Southern and the Northern Taurids only produce about five meteors an hour. During the peak, a few, but not many more meteors, will be seen.
Your best bet to see either of the Taurids is to go outdoors and find a dark space in the hours before dawn. Find the constellation Taurus and its surrounding constellations – such as Orion – and keep scanning your eyes to catch the fireballs as they dart across the sky.
The Taurids, which can be seen nearly all over the world, aren’t the only meteor showers to keep a look out for in November. The Leonids, named for the constellation Leo, will be visible through the end of November.
However, the peak days for the Leonids will be November 16 and 17, 2020. The Leonids are pieces of debris from the Tempel-Tuttle comet and usually dart across the sky at a rate of about 15 an hour.
Head outdoors around 12 a.m. and find a dark spot away from light pollution. Look toward the constellation Leo for the meteors which are often brightly colored and shoot quickly across the sky at a speed of 44 miles per hour.
Will you turn your eyes to the skies to view the meteor showers in Missouri this month? Let us know in the comments! For some of the best stargazing in Missouri, plan a stay at River of Life Farm in Dora.
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