The cosmic light show of the Orionids meteor shower is peaking over the next day during the new moon, making it easier to see. You can spot meteors now through the beginning of November.
When Earth moves through the long, debris-strewn tails of a large comet, the debris falls to Earth in the form of meteors, which we call meteor showers. The Orionids meteor shower occurs courtesy of the 1P/Halley comet, known as Halley’s Comet. Another meteor shower Earth experiences thanks to Halley’s comet is the Eta Aquariids, which occurs in April and May.
The Orionids are also one of the longest-running major meteor showers, lasting over a month and a half. Most meteor showers last weeks or up to a month.
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When is the best time to view Orionids?
The Orionids are predicted to peak on the evening of Monday, Oct. 20, and the morning of Tuesday, Oct. 21. The meteor shower is noted for its bright, fast-traveling meteors, which leave trails in the sky that can last several seconds and up to a few minutes.
Most experts agree that the show should be at its best between midnight and dawn. Your best bet is to get out there before the sun rises.
You might also be able to see two rare comets on Monday and Tuesday — here’s how.
Where should I look to see the Orionids?
The Orionids are named after the Orion constellation. All meteor showers are named for the constellation from which they appear to originate. This point, referred to as the radiant, is where you’ll want to look at the sky.
The constellation will rise above the eastern horizon at midnight local time in the US. Over the evening, it’ll streak over to the southern section of the sky, where it’ll eventually be drowned out by the sun at sunrise. If you can spot Jupiter, which will also be visible that night, Orion is next to it. If you’re having trouble, websites like Stellarium have free sky maps that you can use for reference.
Tips for viewing Orionids
According to NASA, the Orionids meteor shower is expected to shoot off 10 to 20 meteors per hour in perfect conditions. Your best bet at getting a good show is to achieve ideal conditions as much as possible.
Your enemy is light pollution, so you’ll want to get as far away from the city and suburbs as possible. Since Orion is in the eastern sky, leaving town by traveling east will ensure you don’t have light pollution in your view while trying to watch. You may see some light streaks in the suburbs and city, but it’s far less likely.
October’s spectacular supermoon will be long gone by the third week of this month, so you won’t have to contend with what will be one of the brightest moons of the year. The only other variable is weather, which you can’t control.
Once you escape light pollution, sit down and watch the eastern and southern skies. The meteors will be visible without magnification.
