Haley’s comet in 1986.
NASA
Look at the skywatchers. The Orionid Meter Shower, already active and visible, is about to have its best week.
Orionides is considered to be a major meteor shower based on the amount of meters visible, which can be seen running towards inevitable destruction during its active period, lasting from about the first week of October to the first week of November.
The Prediction of the American Meter Society That handful of meters will be visible in this hour, this number may increase to 20 per hour during the peak on October 20 and October 21.
Orionides are really just fragments of dust and debris and have lagged behind the famous Comet Haley on their previous journeys through the inner solar system. As our planet passes through the cloud of Comet Detritus around this time of year each year, all that cosmic gravel and heat slam into our high atmosphere and burn up in an exhibition that we can see shooting stars on Earth and even ever -Sometimes seen as a fire extinguisher.
Orionides may refer to the old phrase “blink and you may remember it” as they enter our environment at a very high speed of about 147,000 miles per hour (66 kilometers per second). That said, a large number of these meters leave continuous trails that last only a few seconds. Some even break and fall in great fashion.
Photos of 2020 instant meteor showers look bright in a dark year
See all photos
To capture performance, the advice is the same for all heavenly spectator events: find a place away from light pollution with a wide open view of the night sky. If necessary, make a bundle, go back, relax and adjust your eyes. You don’t need to focus on any part of the sky, but the Orionids are named because their trails originate from the same common area of the sky as Orion and Bright star.
The perfect time to explore Orionides in 2020 is probably in the early morning hours on October 21, but this shower is known for a great peak, so if you wake up you have a good chance to see some meteors. Must meet a few days before or even after that peak date.
The moon will set before the rising morning hours, so that is another nature of the year. Enjoy the show and, as always, please share any great meter shots you can get with me on Twitter Ericmac.
