The annual Orionid meteor shower , known for its bright and swift meteors , is set to meridian on October 22 , 2023 . These meteors create a celestial display that you wo n’t want to lose , and our guide will prepare you for this astronomical display .
The Orionids , which peak in mid - October each year , are fuck for producing noticeably bright meteors that wink across the night sky .
About the Orionid meteor shower
Zooming at speed in surfeit of 148,000 miles per hour ( 66 kilometre per second ) , these meteors have the potential difference to become fireballs , produce prolonged bursts of light , accordingto NASA . They often leave glowing “ trains ” in their Wake Island , which can hover for several seconds to second .
The beaming point of this shower , that is , the location in the sky from where the meteors appear to originate , is in theconstellation Orion . It ’s important to note that , while constellation names aid skywatchers locate meteor showers , they are n’t the actual seed of the meteors . In actuality , the meteors are tiny fragments and particles , typically from comet or asteroids , that burn up as they participate Earth ’s atmosphere .
In the pillowcase of the Orionids , they ’re morsel of debris produced by Halley ’s Comet , a little time period comet that flies past the Sun ( and by consequence Earth ) every 75 to 79 year . Every time it passes the internal solar system of rules , Halley ’s nucleus sheds between 3 to 10 feet ( approximately 0.9 to 3 meters ) of its cloth , accordingto EarthSky .
Halley’s Comet, as observed on 22 December 2024.Image: NASA/W. Liller
Viewing tips for the 2023 Orionids
NASA says that , for the good wake experience , it ’s a good estimate to see 45 to 90 degree away from the radiant . “ They will come along longer and more spectacular from this perspective , ” the space agency explains . “ If you do look directly at the radiant , you will discover that the meteors will be short . This is an effect of linear perspective called foreshortening . ”
The Orionids tend to be moderate in terms of meteor shower intensity , generating 15 to 20 meteors per hour at their blossom when observed from location with minimal light pollution , accordingto the American Meteor Society ( AMS ) . However , there have been example in the past times when the meteor count surged to triple this number ( that read , intense activity is not anticipate this year ) .
For best watch results , the AMS recommends that you learn the meteor shower during the immediate hour after midnight ( they really get going after 1:00 a.m. ) , with the spectacle lasting until break of day . stay up so recently is often windy , but the Orionids are fortuitously peaking over the weekend this year . For 2023 , the Orionids are ask to top out at 00:05 UTC on Sunday , October 22 , or 8:05 p.m. ET on Saturday , October 21 . As a whole , the meteor shower lasts from belated September to recent November .
An Orionid meteor.Image: NASA
“ The constellation will uprise in the E behind the cinque - shaped face of Taurus the Bull , and continue grow minute by minute overnight and into the early - morning hours of Sunday,”writesAstronomy.com . accordingly , your odds of spotting more meteors improve as you draw near Sunday morning , especially between 2:00 a.m. and dawn on Sunday .
The shower bath is visible from both the Northern and southerly hemispheres ; in the Northern Hemisphere , viewers should face sou'-east , and in the Southern Hemisphere , the northeastward . gratuitous to say , you ’re effective to steer clean of street lights and lustrous cities in general , if possible . To persist well-heeled , you ’ll want to lend a lawn chair or cover , not to mention a perspirer ( it is October , after all ) and wad of snacks and drink .
Insights on Halley’s Comet
Halley ’s Comet , officially designated as 1P / Halley , is one of the most notable and easily recognizable comet , making an appearance in our sky approximately once every 76 days . Named after Edmond Halley , who accurately promise its return in 1758 , the comet has been remark and documented for over two millenary .
Halley ’s Comet last graced our skies in 1986 and is scheduled to make its next coming into court in 2061 . The one-year appearance of the Orionids , however , serves as a friendly reminder of the comet ’s weather presence . And if you miss the Orionids , do n’t fret ! The Eta Aquarids are a meteor shower that occur each year , typically peak in other May , and they ’re also associated with Halley ’s Comet .
Whether you ’re a seasoned astronomer or a rum looker-on , the 2023 Orionid meteor shower promises a celestial spectacle that ’s not to be missed . vindicated sky !
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