Astrology

Orionid meteor shower peaks October 21 into 22 under a waxing gibbous moon

The Orionid meteor shower reaches its peak overnight on October 21 into the early hours of October 22, offering skywatchers a chance to see shooting stars formed from debris shed by Halley's Comet, according to the Economic Times and the Independent. NASA says the shower stays active from October 2 to November 7, with the best viewing around the peak.

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Rates expected to run 10 to 20 an hour#

Under ideal, moonless conditions, observers could spot around 10 to 20 meteors per hour, the Economic Times reports, citing the shower's typical activity. The American Meteor Society puts the figure at up to 20 per hour during the Wednesday night into Thursday morning peak, according to the Independent and Live Science.

A bright moon complicates the view this year. The Economic Times reports the Moon will make fainter meteors harder to see, with conditions improving after moonset, while the Independent and Yahoo News UK both note that a bright moon will limit visibility until it sets late at night.

Yahoo News UK reports stargazers in the North East could see between 10 and 20 meteors an hour weather permitting, with further chances to view the shower lasting until November 7 despite possible cloud cover.

The meteors trace back to Halley's Comet#

The Orionids form from tiny particles that Halley's Comet releases as it travels around the sun, with Earth passing through the resulting debris trail each year, the Economic Times reports. The Independent notes the comet completes an orbit near Earth roughly every 75 years.

Live Science reports that Halley's Comet made its most recent appearance in 1986 and is expected to come back around in 2061. The meteors enter the atmosphere at about 66 kilometres per second, or roughly 41 miles per second, according to the Economic Times and Yahoo News UK.

Though the shower is named for the constellation Orion, the meteors radiate from a location near the red supergiant star Betelgeuse and are visible throughout the night sky in both hemispheres after midnight, Yahoo News UK and the Independent report.

How to watch the shower#

No special equipment is needed, the Independent reports, though finding a spot far from city lights improves visibility, and eyes need several minutes to adjust to the dark. Yahoo News UK recommends allowing around 20 minutes for adjustment and avoiding phone screens, which make fainter meteors harder to spot.

The hours after midnight and before dawn offer the best viewing as moonlight interference eases, according to the Independent, and the Economic Times reports conditions should improve further once the moon sets ahead of sunrise on October 22.

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