Stardate 11:09:97
The
sky is awash with meteors 
The sky will be awash with meteors, or "shooting stars" throughout the whole first half of November as the Northern and Southern Taurid meteor showers visit the Earth, along with the Leonid meteor shower towards the middle of the month.
Go out anytime during the first half of this month, and you are almost guaranteed a delightful display of shooting stars. During the beginning of the month, the peak of the showers will be seen in a rainbow pattern centered around the constellation of Taurus, the bull. This is also the constellation which houses the Pleaides, a stellar nursery which appears as a white smudge in the sky, as seen with the naked eye. For this reason, Taurus is one of the easiest constellations in the sky to locate. Look for it to be in the southeasterly sky, a little over 1/2 up from the horizon at around midnight.
Toward the middle of the month, as the Leonid meteor shower gains prominence, go out just before dawn, and look low to your east. The meteors should seem to emanate from just beneath the horizon as the first twilight starts to break from behind the horizon.
Meteor showers are caused when the Earth passes through the debris of a comet which left behind material in the path of the Earth. For that reason, most of the material which makes up shooting stars during these showers consists of pieces of comets burning up during their passage through the atmosphere of the Earth. Most of the meteors we see are actually only about 1-3 mm across, about the size of an apple seed. The material (usually stone or ice) is heated by the friction caused as it plummets to the Earth.
Since comets are largely ice, it follows that most of the meteors seen during meteor showers such as the three visible this month are mostly ice. When discussing meteors, they are called meteors only when descending through the atmosphere. Only when if part of what remains hits the Earth does that remnant earn the title of meteorite.
When going out to observe meteor showers, there are a few guidelines which, if followed, can make your observing time more pleasant, and enjoyable. First, and most important, particularly this time of year, is to remember to dress warmly. Second, bring out a hot drink such as coffee or hot chocolate in a thermos to help keep you warm. Some form of carbohydrates such as crackers or a sandwich will be a great asset. As you observe, remember to take regular breaks. A rest of about 10 minutes after every 50 minutes of observing will keep you awake and alert for the dazzling display of meteors at hand.
About every 30-35 years, the Leonids become the most spectacular of the year's meteor showers, surpassing even August's mighty Persied meteor shower. At these times, the Earth is bombarded by an unbelievable 100,000 to 400,000 meteors per hour, and this pace can last for several hours. The best odds for the next time this will happen is in November of 1998 or 1999, but it could happen again this year! The last time this happened was in November of 1966, when the shower lasted for an hour.
On the night of November 12, 1833 the western hemisphere witnessed a meteor shower of 240,000 shooting stars per hour. One Boston bound observer stated that the number of meteors were "about half that of flakes of snow in an average snowstorm", some of which were reported to be as bright as full moons streaking across the sky. Many would be sleepers were awakened by the commotion in the street, or by the bright lights shining in their bedroom windows. In 1878, the historian R.M. Devens listed the meteor shower of 1833 as being one of the 100 most memorable events in U.S. history.
Keep observing... It will happen again.
Clear skies, and good viewing.
