'Halloween Fireballs' Could Threaten Earth In 2032 And 2036, Astronomers Warn

The Taurid meteor shower, famous for its vibrant 'Halloween Fireballs' that light up the sky from late October to early November, may hold important insights into potential future space threats, including airbursts and impacts on Earth's surface.

These meteors, which appear from the direction of the Taurus constellation, are generally harmless and burn up before reaching the ground. Two Taurid showers occur each year, one is visible at night now, while the other occurs during the day in June, which is usually invisible.

However, recent research indicates that larger objects in the Taurid stream could pose a greater threat in 2032 and 2036, potentially exploding in the atmosphere or occasionally reaching the Earth's surface.

Physicist Mark Boslough of the University of New Mexico explained that there is strong evidence for the existence of a group of smaller objects in the Taurid swarm, which has been observed as seismic activity on the Moon and as bright fireballs along the predicted path.

He also said that some larger and potentially dangerous objects may be present, but whether their number is sufficient to significantly increase the risk will not be certain until 2032.

Boslough explained that planetary defense is a global effort that includes the discovery and tracking of near-Earth objects (NEOs), modeling to predict their impacts, and strategies to mitigate potential collisions. This includes methods to deflect or disperse objects on a collision course, as well as warning and emergency response plans for an inevitable collision.

NEOs include asteroids and comets, which are steered by planetary gravity into orbits that could intersect Earth's path. While most Taurid meteorites are small and harmless, some rare but significant events have occurred in history, such as the Chelyabinsk meteor in Russia and the Tunguska explosion in Siberia, reported Newsweek.

Research is also focused on the Taurid resonant swarm, a dense mass of debris formed by Jupiter's gravitational pull. Boslough explained that although this swarm is theoretical, glowing fireballs and seismic signals on the Moon support its existence. The objects in this stream orbit the Sun 7 times, while Jupiter orbits them 2 times, allowing the giant planet to pull them into dense clusters.

If this Taurid Swarm exists, it will pass close to Earth in 2032 and 2036, increasing the likelihood of atmospheric impacts. Boslough said that the swarm's presence could be tested in these years through targeted sky surveys using existing technology and telescopes.

As astronomers continue to study these fiery visitors, the Halloween sky offers not only a captivating sight but also a subtle warning of potential threats from space.