Taurid meteor shower 2026 — When, where and how to see the 'Halloween fireballs'

The Taurid meteor showers are back, bringing skywatchers the chance to spot some spectacularly bright shooting stars, often nicknamed "Halloween fireballs".

Unlike most meteor showers, the Taurids consist of two overlapping displays: the Southern Taurids and the Northern Taurids.

In 2026, the Southern Taurids peak around Oct. 14, followed by another peak around Nov. 5, while the Northern Taurids peak around Nov. 12.

The good news is that moonlight will be relatively favorable around the November peaks, giving skywatchers a chance of spotting the occasional fireball.

But don't expect a sky filled with shooting stars. The Taurids are relatively modest showers, typically producing a handful of meteors per hour under ideal conditions. What makes them special is their tendency to produce exceptionally bright meteors.

"The Taurids are rich in fireballs, so if you see a Taurid it can be very brilliant and it'll knock your eyes out, but their rates absolutely suck," NASA meteor expert Bill Cooke told Space.com. "It's simply the fact that when a Taurid appears it's usually big and bright."

Taurid meteor shower 2026: Key dates and facts

Although the Taurids can occasionally produce enhanced fireball activity, 2026 is not expected to be a particularly strong swam year.

Where can you see the Taurid meteor shower?

The Taurids are visible practically anywhere on Earth, except for the South Pole. Meteor showers are named after the constellation from which the meteors appear to emanate, known as the radiant. From Earth's perspective, the Taurid meteor shower appears to come approximately from the direction of the Taurus constellation.

To find Taurus, look for the constellation Orion and then peer to the northeast to find the red star Aldebaran, the star in the bull's eye.

Don't look directly at Taurus to find meteors; the shooting stars will be visible all over the night sky. Make sure to move your gaze around the nearby constellations. Meteors closer to the radiant have shorter trails and are more difficult to spot. If you look only at Taurus, you might miss the shooting stars with the most spectacular trails.

To see the Taurids meteor shower at its best, go to the darkest possible location, lean back and relax. You don't need any equipment like telescopes or binoculars as the secret is to take in as much sky as possible and allow about 30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark.

If you want more advice on how to photograph the Taurids, check out our how to photograph meteors and meteor showers guide and if you need imaging gear, consider our best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography.

When is the best time to view the Taurid meteor shower?

The best time to view the Taurid meteor shower — both the northern and southern streams — is around midnight when the shower's radiant, the Taurus constellation, is high in the sky.

In 2026 the Southern Taurids are activity from Sept. 20 to Nov. 20, peaking around Oct. 14 and another maximum associated with the shower's fireball-swarm component around Nov. 5.

The Northern Taurids are active from Oct. 20 to Dec. 10, reaching their maximum around Nov. 12.

The two showers overlap throughout October and much of November, making this a particularly good period to keep an eye on the night sky.

For the best chance of seeing meteors, choose a clear night, find a location with minimal light pollution and give yourself plenty of time to watch. Patience is particularly important with the Taurids. You might wait quite a while between meteors, but the occasional bright fireball can make it all worthwhile.

Why are the Taurids known as the 'Halloween fireballs?'

The Taurids are sometimes nicknamed the "Halloween fireballs" because they are active throughout late October and early November and have a reputation for producing exceptionally bright meteors.

A fireball is a meteor that appears brighter than the planet Venus int he night sky. These brilliant streaks occur when large pieces of space debris enter Earth's atmosphere at high speed, heating the surrounding airand producing an intense flash of light.

Taurid meteors tend to be larger than other meteors and can survive for longer periods as they pass through Earth's atmosphere. According to NASA, Orionids for example, typically burn up at altitudes around 58 miles (93 km) whereas Taurids typically make it as far as 42 miles (66 km). They also travel relatively slowly, traversing the sky at about 17 miles (27 kilometers) per second or 65,000 miles (104,000 km) per hour. The Perseids, on the other hand, zip through the sky at 37 miles (59 km) per second.

What causes the Taurid meteor shower?

The Taurid meteor shower is caused by the debris — ice and dust — from comet 2P/Encke as it passes through our solar system.

The debris stream from Encke is so large and spread out that it takes Earth a rather long time to pass through the entirety of the debris which is why we experience two separate segments of the shower — the Northern Taurids and the Southern Taurids, according to Royal Museums Greenwich (RMG).

Comet Encke was discovered by French astronomer Pierre F. A. Mechain on Jan. 17, 1786, according to NASA Science. Usually, comets are named after their discoverers or the observatory or telescope involved in the discovery. However, Comet Encke was named after German astronomer Johann Franz Encke who was responsible for calculating the comet's orbit.

Encke has the shortest orbital period of any known comet within our solar system, taking just 3.3 years to orbit the sun.

Each time comet Encke returns to the inner solar system, its nucleus sheds ice and rock into space into a vast debris stream. When Earth passes through the debris the "comet crumbs" heat up as they enter Earth's atmosphere and burn up in bright bursts of light, streaking a vivid path across the sky.

Comet Encke and the Taurid meteor shower are thought to be the remnants of a far larger comet that broke apart over the last 20,000 to 30,000 years, according to RMG.

Additional information

Learn more about the French astronomer Pierre F. A. Mechain with this biography from the University of St. Andrews. Discover more about Taurid fireball activity since 1962 with this comprehensive review of the Taurids. Explore the Taurus constellation and find out how to spot it with the unaided eye with skywatching website In-The-Sky.org.