Who says stargazing is just for the summer?
Coming off the high of the Perseid meteor shower in August, stargazers can find many more meteor showers to enjoy in the fall — with the caveat that most won’t match the grandeur of the Perseids, and cloud cover is prone to playing spoiler (as always).
The fall meteor shower season starts off slow, with the low-strength Orionids and Taurids, peaking with the spectacular Geminids in December. The Geminid meteor shower is one that Oregonians rarely get a look at, with clouds reliably blanketing western Oregon and usually covering the eastern part of the state as well.
But with a little luck and some persistence (plus some warm layers), dedicated stargazers can extend their meteor shower watch parties into the dark season. Here’s what to mark on your calendars.
Oct. 21-22
Orionid Meteor Shower
Typically a low-strength shower, the Orionids have been known to produce spectacular shows on occasion, sometimes on par with the Perseids. This year’s peak comes during poor sky watching conditions: a waning gibbous moon only a few days from full will rise around 9 p.m. in the Pacific Northwest. The meteor shower will be active until Nov. 22.
Nov. 5-6
Southern Taurid Meteor Shower
The Southern Taurids are a long-lasting meteor shower, running from Sept. 23 to Dec. 8, though the event rarely produces more than five meteors per hour. The meteor shower will peak during a waxing crescent moon in early November.
Nov. 11-12
Northern Taurid Meteor Shower
Much like the Southern Taurids, the Northern Taurid Meteor Shower is a long-lasting, low-production event, running from Oct. 13 to Dec. 2. It will peak in the middle of November with a waxing gibbous moon that will set around 1:35 a.m., leaving dark skies later in the night.
Nov. 17-18
Leonid Meteor Shower
There won’t be any major Leonids events until 2099, though the annual shower still produces peaks of around 15 bright meteors per hour. A recently full moon will be up all night during the meteor shower’s peak this year, which could spoil much of the show. The whole event will run from Nov. 3 to Dec. 2.
Dec. 13-14
Geminid Meteor Shower
The Geminids are usually the strongest meteor shower of the year, with bright and intensely colored meteors that number roughly 120 per hour. This year’s shower runs Nov. 19 to Dec. 25, with a peak Dec. 13-14. Unfortunately, that peak comes during bad sky watching conditions, with a nearly full moon that will stay up all night.
Dec. 21-22
Ursid Meteor Shower
Peaking in the middle of winter holidays, and coming off the heels of the spectacular Geminids, the Ursids are often an overlooked event – though with an average rate of only 5-10 meteors per hour during the shower’s peak, there’s not a lot to miss. A waning gibbous moon this year will rise before midnight and stay up through dawn during the peak.
—Jamie Hale covers travel and the outdoors and co-hosts the Peak Northwest podcast. Reach him at 503-294-4077, jhale@oregonian.com or @HaleJamesB.
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