BOLD CREATIONS BY TJ

The Taurids are not the most active meteor shower of the year. On a typical peak night, a patient observer might see only a handful of meteors per hour under dark skies. That sounds modest compared with the Perseids or Geminids, but the Taurids offer something different. They are less about quantity and more about quality.

In 2026, the Orionids peak in late October, just as Orion climbs higher before dawn and autumn nights grow longer across the United States. The timing is not perfect because a waxing gibbous Moon will brighten the evening sky near the peak. The good news is that the best Orionid viewing happens after midnight anyway, and the Moon should set before the prime pre-dawn hours in many locations.

Observing Venus at its peak can spark interest in planetary science, offering a gateway to learning about the broader universe.