that Orionid meteor showerConsidered one of the most beautiful showers of the year, shooting stars could light up the sky for most of the next month.
NASA says that the Orion constellation peaks every year in mid-October, and that its meteors are famous for their brightness and speed.
The ability to see shooting stars depends on a clear night sky. A bright, waning gibbous moon moves between full moon and last quarter phase, causing fainter meteors to shine and reducing the number of meteors visible to sky watchers.
According to NASA, Some Orionites leave glowing “trains” or glowing remnants in the wake of their meteors, which last up to several minutes, and some faster meteors can turn into fireballs.
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Orionid meteors are fragments of Halley’s Comet and are surrounded by some of the brightest stars in the night sky.
“Each time Harley returns to the inner solar system, its core blasts ice and rocky dust into space,” NASA said. “When these dust particles hit Earth’s atmosphere, they eventually become are Orion in October and Eta Aquarius in May.”
When the meteor shower reaches its peak, which was scheduled for Monday, stargazers could see up to 15 meteors per hour, depending on where they are in the Northern Hemisphere.
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A clear sky is important, but the second most important observing condition is a dark sky without light pollution.
Bill Cook, who heads NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, suggests that new stargazers look for areas away from city lights.
“Get your blankets ready,” he said on the NASA site. “Lie on your back and look up at the sky as much as you can,” he said. “After less than 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will change and you will begin to see meteors.”
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Halley’s Comet over Uluru in Australia back in 1986. (Image credit/Getty Images)
NASA says Orionids may be visible Both in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres In the hours from midnight to evening.
The peak of the Orionid meteor shower is October 21st, but the Orionid meteor shower will remain active until November 22nd.
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Comet Halley takes 76 years to orbit the sun, and was last seen by astronomers in 1986. NASA said the comet is not expected to re-enter the solar system. in until 2061.
