Taurids and Leonids meteor shower visible from the Netherlands in November

With the Draconid and Orionid meteor showers lighting up skies in October, the past few weeks have been a busy time for sky-watchers. Thankfully, the fun isn’t over yet, with the Taurids and Leonids meteor showers on the way for November!

Northern Taurids to peak on November 11-12, Leonids on November 17 - 18

Some lucky stargazers may have been able to spot a few meteors early in the month, since the Southern Taurids peak on November 5, but here in the Netherlands, the Northern Taurids will peak a bit later, on the night between November 11 and 12. At the peak, there could be around five meteors every hour under ideal conditions, so you’d better get a cup of tea and wrap up warm if you’re planning to stay out looking for a while!

The story for the Leonids is even better - with these meteors, you could see up to 15 per hour under ideal conditions, and they are known for being extraordinarily bright in the sky! The Leonids are an annual favourite for stargazers, due to their relative abundance and bright quality!

Head to a dark spot to try and get a glimpse of these meteor showers

As is always the case with meteor showers, your best bet is to head to somewhere dark, like a national park, to spot them. In Friesland, there is also a protected Dark Sky Park, where visitors can enjoy observing the night sky without the interruption of light pollution.

While the weather can affect your viewing chances, the Northern Taurids should benefit from minimal moonlight, while the Leonids will be easier to spot after the Moon sets around midnight, so that even in the city, you might be able to spot some if you’re very lucky.