Massive asteroids in popular meteor shower Taurids pose major threat
Published on July 11, 2017
Scientists have discovered a new branch of the Taurids meteor stream that could pose a major risk to Earth, with asteroids up to 1,000 feet wide flying past us every few years.
The Taurids meteor shower peaks every October and November, producing a relatively small display of shooting stars as the planet passes through its stream.
Meteor shower displays happen when tiny bits of cosmic debris enter Earth’s atmosphere and burn up in the sky. Because the Taurids are made up of branches and a core, activity levels increase and decrease depending on how much debris Earth passes through.
