View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Richard Swieca in Ste Agathe des Monts, Quebec, Canada, caught this Taurid meteor on November 6, 2021. Richard wrote: “Taurid meteor descending past the Summer Triangle, toward the planet Saturn.” Thank you, Richard! Could large asteroids hidden in the Taurid meteor shower be a threat to Earth? Read on for more.
The Taurid meteor showers in June and November happen because Earth plows into debris left behind by Comet Encke. These showers appear to emanate from the constellation Taurus the Bull.
Larger chunks of debris may be hiding in the Taurid meteors. Every few years, we pass through a Taurid swarm, or a denser concentration of comet debris. And in fact, it’s possible the Tunguska event of 1908, when a large space rock flattened forest in Siberia, was from the Taurid swarm.
The Taurid swarm – if it exists– should be close to Earth in 2032 and 2036. …
