Taurid

The Taurids are a meteor shower that occurs annually in the months of October and November. The shower is known for producing relatively slow-moving meteors and is associated with the comet Encke, although the Earth also passes through debris left by the asteroid 2004 TG10, which is believed to be a fragment of the same larger comet. The Taurids are divided into two branches, the South Taurids and the North Taurids, with the South Taurids peaking slightly earlier than the North Taurids.

The radiant point of the Taurids, the apparent origin of the meteors in the night sky, is located in the constellation Taurus. While the Taurids are not a particularly prolific shower in terms of the number of meteors per hour, they are notable for occasionally producing bright fireballs. These fireballs can be spectacular events, often lasting longer than typical meteors and sometimes breaking into multiple pieces. The Taurids have been observed to have particularly active periods, known as "Taurid swarms," which occur every few years, leading to a significant increase in the number of fireballs.

The relatively slow speed of Taurid meteors is due to the Earth's trajectory through the debris stream. When Earth encounters the debris at an angle that is more parallel to its orbital path, the resulting meteors appear to move slower across the sky. Astronomers study the Taurids to understand the dynamics of cometary debris and the potential impact risks from near-Earth objects, as the debris stream can contain larger fragments as well as dust particles.