Even if you ’re a casual stargazer , you likely have heard of the Orionids . The October spectacle is one of the more consistent meteor showers of the twelvemonth , and it ’s leisurely to view no matter where in the world you are . If you plan on take hold of the case in 2023 , here ’s all the information you need .
What Is the Orionid Meteor Shower?
The Orionids are a byproduct ofHalley ’s Comet . As Earth passes through the comet ’s tail , spacerocks burn up in the satellite ’s atmosphere , create a dazzling shot star effect . While Halley ’s Comet appears in the nighttime sky only once every 74 to 76 years , the Orionids are much more frequent , go on every year in October .
The shower let its name from the constellationOrion , whose three - star “ belt ” is one of the most recognisable sidereal arrangements . When themeteorsstreak across the sky , they appear to rise from the constellation . On vertex nights , the Orionids produce up to 20 shooting stars per hour .
How to See the Orionid Meteor Shower in 2023
In 2023 , the Orionid meteor shower peaks the dark of Saturday , October 21 and the former morning of Sunday , October 22 . The pre - dawn hr on Sunday may be your honest snap at realize the spectacle . Themoonwill reach itsFirst Quarter phase(half full ) on the night of October 21 - 22 and set soon after midnight , so it likely wo n’t affect the profile of shooting stars .
That night is n’t the only fourth dimension to see the Orionids , though . The meteor shower is active fromSeptember 26 through November 22 , 2023 . Instead of stress to catch the meteors at their vertex , await up a few nights before October 21 , when the waxing crescent lunation will appear dimmer . That should increase your probability of tell apart at least a few shooting stars from Halley ’s Comet .
A variation of this story was write in 2021 ; it has been update for 2023 .
Related Tags
