- Two celestial events, a full moon and a meteor shower, are scheduled for this week.
- November’s full Beaver supermoon will peak at 8:19 a.m. ET on Wednesday, with the best viewing opportunities in the evening hours.
- This full moon is a supermoon, occurring when the moon is at its nearest point to Earth (perigee), making it appear slightly larger and brighter, though this difference is subtle to the human eye.
- The Southern Taurid meteor shower will also peak at 8 a.m. ET on Wednesday.
- This year’s Southern Taurid meteor shower is particularly notable as it is predicted to encounter larger material, increasing the chance of seeing fireballs.
- The Taurid meteor shower typically produces only about five meteors per hour and is characterized by slow-moving meteors.
- The Taurids originate from debris left by the short-period comet 2P/Encke and have been nicknamed “Halloween fireballs” in previous years.
- Viewing the Taurid meteors may be challenging due to the bright moonlight, which will obscure most activity, but fireballs are still possible.
- For optimal viewing of both events, it is recommended to find an area with clear skies, away from tall buildings and bright lights.
- The best time to look for meteors is any time after sunset and before the moon reaches its highest point on Wednesday night.
- The Beaver Moon is named for the time of year when beavers prepare for winter, and it is also known by other names such as the digging moon, deer rutting moon, and frost moon.
- The Virtual Telescope Project will offer a livestream of the full moon from Manciano, Italy, starting at 2 p.m. ET on Wednesday for those whose views are obscured.