Orionid meteor shower peaks on October 21-22 in the US

Summarised from Wired's report · Updated 20 Oct, 11:50 · Archive

The Orionid meteor shower, made of fragments from Halley's Comet, peaks between dusk on October 21 and dawn on October 22 in the US.

The Orionid meteor shower will reach its peak between dusk on October 21 and dawn on October 22 in the US, Wired reports. Viewers in dark skies may see up to 20 meteors per hour during this window. The shower, composed of small fragments left behind by Halley's Comet, is known for being especially bright and speedy. Some particularly fast meteors can turn into 'fireballs', becoming as bright as the planet Venus.

The three-quarters full moon at this time may obscure some shooting stars, so the best viewing window is in the early morning between when the moon sets and the sun rises. Meteors should be visible from any part of the night sky, though glowing trains of debris are best observed in dark conditions. The shower gets its name from the constellation Orion, from which a large portion of the meteors appear to originate, though viewers do not need to find Orion to enjoy the display. The Orionid meteor shower will continue until November 7.

Read the report

• How to See the Orionid Meteor Shower and Other Upcoming Astronomical EventsMade up of small fragments left behind by Halley’s Comet, these meteors are known for being especially bright and speedy.Wired · 20 Oct, 10:30

In this story: Halley's Comet · Orion · Saturn · Venus

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