The Taurid meteor shower will reach its peak tonight – how can you see it?

Stargazers in the UK could be treated to a dazzling display of shooting stars tonight, as a meteor shower is set to reach its peak.
The Taurids have already begun flashing across our skies, but the phenomenon will be at its most intense on the Monday, November 11 and Tuesday, November 12.
ITV News explains what to expect, and how to maximise your chances of spotting the meteors.
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What is the Taurid meteor shower?
Most meteor showers are formed from the debris of comets. The Taurids are made up of rubble from a comet called Encke.
When the rocks enter Earth’s atmosphere, they become heated up by air resistance which makes them glow and gives them a fiery tail, recognisable as the end of a shooting star.
They vary in size from dust particle to that of a boulder, and are often very bright fireballs.
The space debris from Encke makes up two separate Taurid meteor showers – the Southern Taurids, and the Northern Taurids.
Both showers get their names from the constellation Taurus, which is where meteors appear to shoot off from in the night sky.
When is it?
The two sister meteor showers are already underway – but there’s still time to catch the best glimpse of them.
The Southern Taurids reached their strongest intensity last week, on November 5, and the Northern Taurids will peak on November 12. Both showers will go on to be visible until December.
How can I see the meteors?
The Taurids will be visible to the naked eye, with no need for any specialist equipment. According to NASA, midnight is the best time to view them, as Taurus is positioned high in the sky.
An estimated five visible meteors will be produced per hour – but they will be extremely bright under the right viewing conditions.
Meteor showers are the most visible on cloudless nights. If cloud cover is low, move somewhere away from light pollution and make sure not to check your phone to help your eyes adapt better to seeing them.
On Monday, the Met Office said: “Parts of the UK will have clear periods this evening and overnight, so overall there will be good viewing conditions for the meteor shower.
“Areas of eastern and southeastern England will see more in the way of cloud, and Northern Ireland is at risk of fog.”
However, they won’t be at their brightest, as their glow could be obstructed by the light of the moon – which is set to be 79% full.
If you don’t manage to see the Taurids, you won’t have to wait long for the next significant meteor shower, as the Leonids will peak on November 17.
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