Look Up!

If you see a fiery ball in the sky this week, like I did, don't panic.

When I leave for work each morning, it is still dark outside.  I have a fascination with the sky and stars so I always look up to see if it is clear enough to stargaze for a minute before I leave (weird, I know).  Well, today I saw something out of the corner of my eye, looked up and saw a ball of fire in the distance...with a tail!  Then, I noticed it started breaking off into smaller balls of fire.  I couldn't believe what I was seeing but it lasted for about 30 seconds, and I watched it burn out.

Of course, the SECOND I got to work I Googled "meteor showers" and I found this article on USA Today.  "If you see fireballs streaking across the night sky this week, don't panic: It's just the annual visit from the Taurid meteor shower. The Taurids are not known for their high numbers, rather they are known more for the fireballs they produce," the American Meteor Society said in a statement.  If you are a Horoscope person you'll like this fact: The Taurids appear to come from near the Taurus the Bull constellation.  This year's peak will be Nov. 5-12. They will be visible in North America. :)

"The annual Taurid meteor shower is going on right now, and we are seeing steady activity in our meteor cameras," said Bill Cooke, head of the NASA Meteoroid Environments Office. "Individuals should not be surprised if they see a bright meteor or fireball over the next few nights."  There will be another chance later this month to see bright streaks in the sky when the Leonid meteor shower also kicks in. The much stronger Leonid shower is expected to peak around Nov. 17th.