Taurids meteor shower set to dazzle stargazers as clear skies forecast

The slow long-lasting meteor shower occurs every year throughout October and November.

Taurids Meteor Shower 2024: Will it be visible in Scotland, when is it and how to see itiStock

The Taurid meteor shower is set to dazzle stargazers across Scotland as clear skies have been forecast.

The Met Office said Scottish stargazers have a “good” chance of catching the meteor shower as it reaches its peak from November 11 into November 12.

The Taurid meteor shower is caused by the Earth ploughing through debris left behind by Comet Encke which is said to have disintegrated over the past 20,000 to 30,000 years.

This particular comet stream is one of the slowest of its kind moving across the sky at about 17 miles per second or 65,000 miles per hour.

While the shower only produces around five meteors per hour, they can be some of the brightest stargazers can see.

It gets its name as it appears to emerge from the Taurus constellation in the sky; however, because of when it occurs, it’s also known as Halloween fireballs.

Will the Taurids meteor shower be visible in Scotland?

Scotland is forecast to have good spells of clear skies for the most part on Monday evening.

A spokesperson for the Met Office said that while there will be some transient cloud at times, particularly in central and eastern parts, overall conditions will be clear.

However, stargazers should wrap up warm with forecasts saying it will be a chilly night with lows of -2C or -3C in some areas.

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