The Southern Taurid meteor shower is one of the longest meteor events of the year, active from September 20 through November 20. It has two peak nights—October 13-14 and November 4-5—when observers can expect to see between five and 10 meteors per hour, with the possibility of bright fireballs. These meteors are part of a larger meteor complex known as the Taurids, which includes the Northern Taurids, another shower that occurs later in the fall. The Southern Taurids are created by debris from Comet 2P/Encke, a comet that orbits the Sun every 3.3 years. This debris enters Earth's atmosphere, creating the meteors. The Southern Taurids and their northern counterpart, the Northern Taurids, are part of the same debris stream, meaning Earth passes through both during the fall. This results in a longer period of potential meteor activity. Meteors from the Southern Taurids appear to come from the constellation Taurus, which is visible in the night sky during the fall. However, observers don't need to look directly at Taurus to see the meteors, as they can appear anywhere in the sky. For the best viewing experience, a clear, unobstructed view of the sky is recommended. While binoculars and telescopes are not useful for spotting meteors, they can be helpful for observing other celestial objects during the fall. The Southern Taurids are visible from both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, though observers in the Northern Hemisphere typically have better viewing conditions. On October 13-14, the moon will be absent, providing ideal dark sky conditions. On November 5, the moon will be a 18%-lit waning crescent, which should not interfere too much with viewing. However, the relatively low meteor rate might make it less appealing for people in urban areas who would need to travel to darker locations for a better view. Southern Taurid meteors enter Earth's atmosphere at about 17 miles per second (27 kilometers per second), which allows them to remain visible longer than many other meteors. This results in glowing trails that can be seen for several seconds. While the shower is not expected to produce dramatic firework-like displays, it may still offer some impressive bright meteors, known as fireballs, that stand out in the night sky.