Don’t Miss The Orionid Meteor Shower Tonight Under A Moonless Sky

Don’t Miss The Orionid Meteor Shower Tonight Under A Moonless Sky

During the nights of October 20th and 21st, the Earth will experience the peak stream of the Orionid Meteor Shower, a particularly active shower where viewers can see between 10 and 20 shooting stars per hour.

Especially advantageous this year will be the Orionids’ appearance at the time of the New Moon, meaning no natural light pollution will ruin the cosmic show.

The event is called the Orionids merely because the shooting stars appear like they’re emanating from the constellation of Orion. In reality, the constellation has nothing to do with the shooting stars, which instead come from the debris trail of a comet.

Each meteor stream is like this: named for a constellation, but generated by these high-speed and rocky dust bunnies.

In the case of the Orionids it’s actually the famous Halley’s Comet. As the Earth passes through the stream of debris flung off Halley as it travels through the solar system, those pieces burn up in Earth’s atmosphere and create the shooting star phenomenon we see in the sky.

To find the Orionids tonight or for the next couple of nights when activity is highest, go to a dark open space in a rural area, and find the constellation Orion—which is easy because you can look for his belt. From there look 40 degrees up towards the southern zenith of the sky, bundle up, and enjoy the show.