As we slowly transition into the colder months of the year, the night sky will continue to provide us with fantastic viewing opportunities. From the Beaver Moon to two different meteor showers, here are some of November’s most anticipated astronomy events.
The first meteor shower of November — the Taurids Meteor Shower — will peak between November 4 and November 5, though its overall duration lasts from early September to mid-December, making it an unusually long-running astronomical observation event. The Taurids are considered a minor shower with an average rate of only 5-10 meteors per hour, but it is unique in the fact that it is made up of two visibly separate streams. The first stream is produced by dust from Asteroid 2004 TG10, while the second comes from Comet 2P Encke. The best opportunity to view a Taurids meteor this year will occur just after midnight in very dark locations, though the light of the moon on those nights may make it slightly more difficult than usual to spot all but the brightest objects.
The full moon of the month, commonly known as the Beaver Moon, will become visible on November 15 at 4:28 PM (Eastern Time). This will be the fourth and final supermoon of the year following the three that occurred consecutively in August, September, and October. Named for the beavers that become especially active at this point in the year, this moon has also been called the Trading Moon, the Frost Moon, or the Freezing Moon. Additionally, this moon is sometimes referred to as the Mourning Moon in Celtic tradition depending on whether or not it is the last full moon before the December solstice. This year, it is not considered the Mourning Moon, as the full moon of December will be taking place on December 15, with the solstice not falling until six days later.
The Leonid meteor shower will be active between November 6 and November 30, and is expected to peak during the night of November 17 and the morning of November 18. The Leonids are one of the fastest annual meteor showers, moving at speeds of about 71 kilometers per second. They are also known for being very bright and for producing long, colourful streaks. Though the Leonids have a relatively low rate of approximately 15 meteors visible each hour, they are known for producing a spectacular show every 33 years. In 1996, thousands of meteors were visible each minute over a 15-minute period. The most recent Leonid outburst took place in 2002.
Whether you choose to observe the historically fascinating Leonids meteor shower or the highly elusive, double-streamed Taurids shower, November is sure to provide everyone with a chance to experience an interesting astronomical phenomenon firsthand.