Over the next two weeks, stargazing enthusiasts in Germany will have the opportunity to see the Taurid and Leonid meteor showers shine in the skies above. Here’s where you can get the best view of the cosmic treat.
Having made their first appearance on November 1 and due to depart on November 15, the Northern Taurids (or Taurid) meteor shower will peak in the skies over Germany on November 12. The Taurid shower is made up of pieces of debris from the 2P / Encke Comet, which travels around our planet every autumn.
When the shower peaks on November 12, keen stargazers will have good odds of catching a glimpse of this celestial delight, since the shower is quite slow-moving, and according to ARD, “unusually large and bright”. You’ll have the best views from midnight on November 12 to November 13.
Head out to a secluded area where light pollution is limited and for those who are very lucky, on top of mountains. Five Taurid meteors are expected to cross the sky every hour, with the highest number passing the right-hand prong of the Taurus constellation.
November is a great month for stargazers; once the Taurids depart the Leonids will arrive. The Leonid meteor shower, named after the Leo constellation and associated with Comet 55P, also known as Tempel-Tuttle, circles the moon every 33 years.
The meteor has been visible in the skies above Germany since November 6, 2024. But on the night between November 16 and 17, specifically at 5.33 am on November 17, it will peak. Leonid showers are highly variable but can bring thousands of shooting stars per hour.
However, what ARD calls “one of the most beautiful showers of the year,” may be harder to enjoy in 2024. Bright moonlight in mid-November threatens to outshine the shower this year, so don’t wait for the Leonids and catch the Northern Taurids while they’re still around!
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