SKY: Clear skies at this time of year usually bring along low temperatures, but for folks who are willing to brave it, the night sky on Sunday should be pretty impressive.
Accuweather reports that debris from Halley’s Comet will spark the Orionid meteor shower this weekend Mainly clear conditions are on tap for a large area of North America on Sunday night.
The first major shower of the fall, the Orionids will peak on Sunday night and into early Monday morning, but stargazers should also be able to see some meteors on both Friday night and Saturday night leading up to the shower’s peak, weather permitting.
“Activity is expected to be a little higher this year than in years past with 20 to 25 meteors per hour, but bright moonlight will be an issue,” AccuWeather Astronomy Blogger Dave Samuhel said.
The nearly full moon will be shining brightly in the sky for most of the night, making it harder to see some of the dimmer meteors, but it will not ruin the celestial show completely, Accuweather predicts.
According to Space.com, Halley’s Comet leaves behind a “trail of comet crumbs” as it makes it way around the sun. At certain times of the year, Earth’s orbit crosses paths with the debris.
NASA meteor expert Bill Cooke tells Space.com the best viewing time is around 2 a.m.
Sometimes the shower peaks at 80 meteors an hour; at others it is closer to 20 or 30. Cooke predicted that in 2018, the peak would be at the smaller end of the scale, echoing the peaks of 2017 and years before.
Orionid meteors are visible from anywhere on Earth and can be seen anywhere across the sky. “If you find the shape of Orion the Hunter, the meteor shower’s radiant (or point of origin) will be near Orion’s sword, slightly north of his left shoulder (the star Betelgeuse). But don’t stare straight at this spot, Cooke said, “because meteors close to the radiant have short trails and are harder to see — so you want to look away from Orion.”
As is the case with most nighttime skywatching events, light pollution can hinder your view of the Orionid meteor shower (although this year, the moon will do damage as well). If possible, get far away from city lights, which can hinder the show. Go out around 1:30 a.m. and let your eyes adjust to the dark for about 20 minutes. Bundle up against the cold if necessary. Lie back and use only your eyes to watch the sky.
