Orionid meteor shower: What to know and how to watch
The Orionid meteor shower, which has been active since early October, is approaching full force this week.
According to NASA, the Orionid shower is "one of the most beautiful showers of the year," with the agency noting the extraterrestrial objects "are known for their brightness and for their speed."
Meteor showers occur when debris from comets, asteroids or other space rocks burn up upon entry into earth's atmosphere, creating a collection of "shooting star" visuals across the night sky.
Ahead of the galactic show, get up to speed on how to watch, when to watch, and what you might see at the Orionid meteor shower's peak.
What are the Orionids?
The yearly meteor shower known as the Orionids takes place every year in October and November and peaks around same time each year in late October.
Unique to the Orionids, NASA notes, the meteors seen during this shower are particularly fast and bright. Furthermore, they occur visually between some of the brightest stars in sight, adding to the jaw-dropping spectacle when seen from planet Earth.
The Orionids, per NASA, have a zenithal hourly rate of 20, a measurement that calculates the hourly rate of meteors observed in ideal viewing conditions, according to the American Meteor Society.
When do the Orionids peak this year?
The Orionids will peak this year between Oct. 21 and 23.
NASA identifies the shower's peak as occurring the night of Oct. 22 to Oct. 23, while the International Meteor Organization shifts the window one day earlier, starting the evening of Oct. 21 through Oct. 22.
The American Meteor Society sets a wider window for maximum activity, listing the peak as Oct. 21 to Oct. 23.
Where can the Orionids be seen?
The Orionids can be seen from anywhere on earth in either hemisphere.
NASA instructs those who wish to view the shower under the most ideal circumstances to "lie flat on your back with your feet facing southeast if you are in the Northern Hemisphere or northeast if you are in the Southern Hemisphere, and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible."
The agency notes it takes about 30 minutes for your eyesight to adjust to the night sky, though time should not be a concern, as the showers will continue until sunrise the next day.
Where do Orionid meteor showers come from?
According to NASA, the Orionids originate from the debris in the wake of Comet 1P Halley and create the dazzling shower when meteoroids burn up in Earth's atmosphere, becoming meteors.
