A serious celestial show is coming!
On the night of Monday, Oct. 21, continuing into the early morning hours of Tuesday, Oct. 22, stargazers get a chance to witness the Orionid meteor shower.
The shower occurs every October, typically between Oct. 16-26, but Monday night the show in the sky will be at its peak.
For the best chance at viewing the meteor shower, AZ Central recommends being prepared to spend over an hour outside between 10 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. After midnight, the moon, which will be 45 percent full, will be visible and its light affects how well people will be able to see what else is happening in the night sky.
The outlet adds that meteors should appear all across the sky, so there’s no need to zero in on just one particular area — or rely on binoculars or telescopes.
While the Orionid should be visible from anywhere on Earth, those living in urban areas where there’s more light pollution won’t get as good of a show. Visit Dark Site Finder to locate the nearest dark sky site near you.
The Orionid is a “medium strength shower that sometimes reaches high strength activity,” according to the American Meteor Society (AMS). In a typical year, the meteor shower produces about 10-20 meteors per hour, and in some years, you can see about 50-75.
However, in recent years, the Orionoid has produced “low to average displays.”
The Orionid meteor shower occurs each year as the earth moves in its orbit through debris left behind by Halley’s Comet. The meteors, also known as shooting stars, get their name as they appear to radiate from the constellation Orion, named after the famed hunter of Greek mythology.
Halley’s Comet is visible from the Earth only once every 75 years. It was last seen in the 1980s, when it graced the cover of TIME magazine. The comet is projected to return in 2061, according to Space.com.
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