The moon, which disappears as the peak of the Orionid meteorite approaches, sets the stage for the discovery of some prime meteorites this week. The Draconid meteorite And an amazing show Mars in the night sky Served as the opening act of the already active and now visible Orionids. The waning moon gives mostly dark skies over the next few nights to help you find your shooting star.

Orionids are actually dust and debris left over from previous travels through the inner solar system of Comet Halley. Every year this year as our planet travels through a cloud of comets, the universe’s gravel and grime all fall into our upper atmosphere and burn up on a display.

Orionids are considered a major meteor shower, operating from the first week of October to the first week of November, based on the amount of meteorites that appear to be running into inevitable destruction during its active period.

The show is already active American Meteorological Society predicts A handful of meteors may appear in the next few days, peaking on October 20 and October 21, and rising to 20 per hour.

When it enters our atmosphere at a speed of about 147,000 miles per hour (66 kilometers per second), orionids can be seen as a symbol of the old adage, “Shine, you can lose it.” That is, a fair amount of these meteorites leave permanent paths that last only a few seconds. Some disintegrate and disintegrate more spectacularly.

2020 Perseid meteor photos glow in the dark year

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To watch the show, the advice is the same for all sky viewers: find a place away from light pollution with a panoramic view of the night sky. Bundle if necessary, lie back, relax, and allow your eyes to adjust. You do not have to focus on any part of the sky, but orionids are so named because their paths seem to originate from the same common area of ​​the sky. The brightest star is Betel‌gus.

The best time for orionids in 2020 may be on the morning of October 21st, but this shower is known for its extensive peaks, so if you get up you should have a good chance of seeing some meteorites a few days before or after that peak date.

The moon will set before the morning viewing time, so another perk this year. Enjoy the show, as always, share the best ideas you can catch up with me on Twitter Ric Eric Simack.