Orionid meteor shower peaks Oct. 20-21 under new moon

The Orionid meteor shower, produced by debris shed from Halley’s Comet, is active now and is expected to reach its peak on the night of Oct. 20 into the predawn hours of Oct. 21, offering skywatchers across both hemispheres a strong opportunity to see fast, bright meteors under favorable conditions. Observers who head outside after midnight and into the early morning of Oct. 21 should have the best chance to catch the peak, when the moon will be new and not interfere with faint meteors.

Earth is passing through a stream of dust and rock left by Halley’s Comet as it travels its roughly 76-year orbit. When those particles strike Earth’s atmosphere they vaporize at high speed, producing the streaks of light known as meteors. The Orionids are noted for their rapid entry speed, about 41 miles per second, and for leaving glowing trains that can persist for several seconds. Under dark, moonless skies the shower typically produces roughly 10 to 20 meteors per hour at maximum, though rates can vary from year to year and occasional outbursts have pushed counts far higher in the past.

The shower’s apparent origin, or radiant, lies in the direction of the constellation Orion, north of the...