This week begins an annual meteor shower called the Orionides, which is caused by the world’s most famous space rock – Halley’s Comet.
The Orionid meteor shower begins PHOTO Valentin Grigore
September 26 marks the start of the Orionid meteor shower, but with a peak night just weeks away, there’s still time to plan a trip to admire the dark sky.
The Orionid meteor shower will begin on Thursday, September 26th and end on Friday, November 22nd in 2024, with a very important peak night on the night of Sunday, October 20th into Monday, October 21st. You can see the Orionids on any clear night between now and November, but you’ll have the best chance on peak night, according to forbes.com.
When is the peak night of the Orionids?
According to the American Meteor Society, the Orionids are a medium intensity shower that sometimes intensifies. Although it usually offers about 20 “shooting stars” in an hour near the peak, some years can reach 50-75.
This year, the peak night will have a waning moon that will rise before midnight and stay in the sky all night. This will make it difficult to see the Orionids, so it’s best to look “shooting stars” as soon as it gets dark.
If you want to look for them before or after peak night, consult a moonrise and sunset calculator (a sunrise and sunset calculator will also be useful).
How Halley’s Comet Causes the Orionids
Meteors, or “shooting stars”, are small pieces of rock or dust that burn up when they hit the Earth’s atmosphere. The Orionid meteor shower is caused by dust and debris left in the inner solar system by Comet Halley (1P/Halley), which last crossed the inner solar system in 1986 and will return in 2061. It is currently in the constellation Hydra, according to The Sky Live. The real “shooting stars” will hit Earth’s atmosphere at about 41 miles per second.
Although caused by Halley’s Comet, the Orionids take their name from their apparent point of origin – what astronomers call their radiant point. It is in the constellation Orion, which rises in the east around midnight. However, they can appear anywhere in the night sky.
Halley’s Comet is actually responsible for two annual meteor showers – the Orionids in October and the Perseids in May.
How to see the Orionids
Here are some tips from NASA for viewing meteor showers:
- Get as far away from urban light pollution as possible (preferably in a park, away from the city);
- Find a location with a clear, unobstructed view of the night sky;
- Dress thickly – it may be very cold;
- Be patient and watch for at least half an hour, preferably on a reclining chair or on a mattress placed on the ground;
- Do not try to use a telescope or binoculars – they greatly reduce your chances of seeing “shooting stars“;
- Avoid looking at your cell phone or any other white light – this will instantly destroy your night vision and the “star rain” will not be as clear. Use only red light.
