The Largest Fireballs Of The Year Will Hit November 11th & 12th So Prepare For A Great Show!

James Kaufman, World News Report Today. The largest fireballs of the year will hit November 11th and 12th, so prepare for a great show. If you see a fireball this week, it's probably a torrid meteor. Toroid meteors, or meteorites, come from comet 2P/Encke. Inky's debris stream is rich in pebble-sized chunks, much larger than the dust grains that fuel most meteor showers. They strike the atmosphere at a leisurely 65,000 miles per hour, burning slowly and brightly with many becoming bright fireballs. The shower peaks on November 11th and 12th. The phase of the moon is very favorable this year as we only have a slender crescent viewable in the evening sky. It sets early. Streaks of light may be seen all night long, but especially around midnight when the constellation of Taurus is high in the sky. What makes the Northern Toroids extra special is their low frequency but high impact. You will only see about five to ten meteors per hour even during the peak nights 11th and 12th, but the debris trail contains Much larger rocks than any other meteor shower we enjoy throughout the year. Most meteor showers are caused by tiny grains of dust. The toroid stream contains much larger pebble-sized plus particles left behind by a giant comet 2P/Encke. When these larger fragments hit the atmosphere, they create brilliant fireballs that can briefly outshine the planet Venus or even a full moon. They also enter Earth's atmosphere at a relatively slow speed, 17 to 18 miles per second. This means the streaks of light last noticeably longer across the sky than faster showers like the Perseids. Again, this year's viewing conditions are excellent, as the moon is a thin crescent following its new phase on November 9th, ensuring perfectly dark skies. The best time to see this spectacular light show is around midnight. This is when the radiant point of the constellation Taurus is the highest in the sky. You don't need to look directly at Taurus. In fact, looking slightly away from their radiance will allow you to see meteors with much longer and more dramatic tails. They can flash into view anywhere overhead. Put away the telescopes and binoculars as well. They will narrow your field of view. Making you more likely to miss these beautiful fireballs. Your naked eyes are the best tools. And remember to give your eyes at least 20 to 30 minutes to fully adjust to the dark. Which will allow you to completely enjoy this show. With that said folks, I hope y'all get out since it's so early. I.e. the peak at midnight on the 11th and 12th. And get some pictures. Send them in and I'd love to show them. God bless you all. Please share and subscribe and make sure to give us a thumbs up.