3 Upcoming Chances For Stellar Stargazing in Michigan’s Night Sky

If you missed the latest showing of the Northern Lights, don't worry!

We can expect another dazzling display above Michigan as three spectacular opportunities for stargazing are headed our way. And by headed our way I mean flying through space at 44 miles per second.

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As a self-described space nerd I'm so excited about the stellar celestial events we've experienced in 2024 like the total solar eclipse in April, Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (C/2023 A3), and some very active auroras.

What's next? We're set to close out 2024 strong as three different meteor showers are set to take place in Michigan's night sky over the next few weeks:

Orionids Meteor Shower

According to MLive the Orionids will peak today, October 21, but will be active up until Thanksgiving. We could see up to 20 meteors per hour in Michigan however, experts say the best time to view this meteor shower will be after midnight as the bright waning gibbous moon will block out the dimmer meteors.

Southern Taurids Meteor Shower

A smaller meteor shower, the best viewing will take place after midnight on November 5, 2024. Expect to only see about 5-10 per hour but thankfully no bright moon to interfere with viewing. Keep your eyes peeled for fireballs!

Northern Taurids Meteor Shower

While the two meteor showers overlap neither the South and North Taurids don't have much of a definite peak as the two meteor showers overlap. According to Earth Sky the North Taurids are expected to peak sometime around November 12, 2024.