Fireballs may be visible in Montreal as meteor shower peaks tonight

We may be in store for a bit of a light show, and we’re not talking about the aurora borealis. The first portion of a two-part meteor shower is set to peak tonight.

The Southern Taurids are expected to reach peak activity Thursday, November 4, into the early hours of Friday, November 5, according to the American Meteor Society (AMS).

You should be able to see about four meteors each hour no matter your location, according to the AMS.

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The forecast for Montreal may not be very hot but there is still a chance to see some fireballs. Visibility is expected to be decent tonight with a few clouds in the forecast but a “nil” likelihood of precipitation, as per Environment Canada.

Let’s start using the term “nil” more often, huh?

Environment Canada

The weather agency is forecasting “a few clouds” in the early hours of Friday as well before a sunny Friday afternoon, at which point the meteors will be long gone.

The moon is also giving us a bit of a break, being 0% full during the peak of the Southern Taurids.

“The Taurids (both branches) are rich in fireballs and are often responsible for increased numbers of fireball reports from September through November,” said the AMS.

The second of the two showers, the Northern Taurids, is set to peak later this month around November 11 and 12. Mark your calendars!