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Samhain marks the last of the year's four cross-quarter festivals in the Wheel of the Year, celebrated by many in Neopagan and Wiccan traditions. Positioned between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, it serves as a time to honor and remember the deceased.
This year, a waning crescent moon shouldn't interfere with the show. The Taurid meteor shower, which includes both Southern and Northern Taurids, is known for its long duration, typically lasting from September 28 to December 2, but it generally offers only about five meteors per hour even at its peak. The Taurids are notable for a high percentage of fireballs, or exceptionally bright meteors.The American Meteor Society pointed to "a seven-year periodicity" with Taurid fireballs. 2008 and 2015 both produced them. 2022 did as well. Fingers crossed for 2029? The best viewing times for the Taurids are typically around midnight, when the constellation Taurus is highest in the sky. The Taurids are unusual in having two separate streams: one produced by debris from Asteroid 2004 TG10 and the other from Comet 2P Encke.
The waxing gibbous moon will set shortly after midnight, so wait until then to look for meteors. It peaks this year on the night of the 17th and morning of the 18th Here's a bit of history: The Leonids, typically an average shower, occasionally produces extraordinary meteor storms. In 1966, observers witnessed thousands of meteors per minute during a spectacular 15-minute period on November 17. Meteors seemed to fall like rain, all streaming from the constellation Leo the Lion. This event left a lasting impression of Earth moving through space, amidst a dense meteor stream. While Leonid meteor storms recur approximately every 33 to 34 years, recent occurrences haven't matched the intensity of 1966. Usually, the Leonids peak at 10-15 meteors per hour and are most active after midnight, with the highest numbers just before dawn. The Leonids are unique for their roughly 33-year cyclonic peak, with the last major event in 2001. (So maybe mark your calendars for November 2033?) The shower, resulting from dust grains left by comet Tempel-Tuttle, discovered in 1865, runs annually from November 6-30. While meteors radiate from Leo, they can be seen across the sky.
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