One of the longest-running meteor showers of the year has begun: How to get the best views of the Southern Taurids

One of the longest-running meteor showers of the year began on Sunday (Sept. 20), as the Southern Taurids start sending occasional "shooting stars" — and, potentially, spectacular fireballs — across the night sky.

The Southern Taurid meteor shower runs from Sept. 20 through Nov. 20, peaking overnight on both Oct. 13-14 and Nov. 4-5, according to the American Meteor Society. Although only about five to 10 meteors per hour can be expected during the shower's peak, the Taurids have a reputation for producing fireballs — very bright meteors that appear as flashes while falling through the atmosphere.

Patience is often rewarded with some of the most impressive meteors of the year, partly because the Southern Taurid meteors strike Earth's atmosphere at the relatively leisurely pace of around 17 miles per second (27 kilometers per second), meaning they can be visible longer than most meteors and leave glowing trails.

The Southern Taurids are associated with a trail of rocky debris left in the inner solar system by Comet 2P/Encke, according to Read Entire Article