It’s officially the run-up to the festive season and, well, there’s not much going on, is there? Luckily the night sky is here to bolster our rather sparse social lives and add some much-needed sparkle to November.
Head outside after dark this month and you’re in with a chance of spotting shooting stars from two meteor showers.
The Leonids are visible in both the northern and southern hemispheres from now until November 30, but you have the best chance of spotting a quick, bright flash of light in the night sky between November 16 and 17, when the shower will peak. Just look for the Leo constellation in the sky, where the meteors, created by the Comet Tempel-Tuttle, appear to stream from.
Still on the lookout? You’re also in with a chance of spotting a shooting star from the Taurids meteor shower, made up of debris left behind by Comet Encke, earlier this month. The event has peaked already in the southern hemisphere, but you could still spot one of the slow-moving stars until November 20. In the northern hemisphere, they’ll be visible until December 9, but the best night for gazing skywards will be November 10-11.
You don’t need special equipment to see either of the showers – just a dark, clear sky and a little patience. That’s something we’ve all been cultivating in 2020, right?
Big into stargazing? Here are the celestial events you need to know about.