The Orionids, one of the most stunning meteor showers of the year, is set to take over the night sky on October 21 and October 22.
According to NASA, the Orionids typically peak during mid-October and they’re known for their brightness and speed. Orionid meteors can travel at roughly 148,000 mph into our planet’s atmosphere and they can leave glowing “trains,” also known as tiny debris, which can last several seconds to minutes. Some of the brightest stars will serve as a gorgeous backdrop for the meteor shower, which can show about 15 meteors per hour if the night sky is clear.
Skywatchers will have to stay up late to spot the Orionids: NASA says they are visible in both the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere during the hours after midnight. Once skywatchers find an area away from cities, street lights, and the moon’s glare, they may want to grab a sleeping bag, blanket, or lawn chair to get comfortable. They can lie flat on their backs with their feet facing southeast and gaze at the night sky to watch the meteor shower, which is expected to last until dawn.
🎞️Have you ever seen one of the most beautiful meteor showers of this time of year? 👀 They are known as Orionids and travel at about 66 km/s. You can try to spot the fastest meteors which can look like fireballs 🧐🔥 pic.twitter.com/Ka3ffcgVue
— DW Science (@dw_scitech) October 21, 2019
Constellation Orion, which serves as the Orionids’ radiant, will be the hub of the meteor shower, however, NASA recommends to view the Orionids from 45 to 90 degrees away from this point. If skywatchers only look directly at constellation Orion, the meteors will appear to be short and not last long in the night sky.
The Orionids, which are formed by space debris pieces that interact with Earth’s atmosphere, are connected to comet 1P/Halley. Whenever 1P/Halley returns to the inner solar system, its nucleus gets rid of ice and rocky dust in space. These “scraps” eventually become part of the Orionids in October if they collide with our planet’s atmosphere.
Skywatchers can visit this website to track meteor shower activity in their areas.
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