Orionid peak Oct 20-21 under dark new moon skies with Lemmon and SWAN

Skywatchers in both hemispheres have a strong chance of seeing the Orionid meteor shower peak overnight on Oct. 20 into the early hours of Oct. 21, with conditions aided this year by a new moon that will leave skies especially dark. The peak coincides with the closest approaches of two comets, C/2025 A6 Lemmon and C/2025 R2 SWAN, and elevated geomagnetic activity raises the possibility of northern lights at high latitudes, creating a rare multi‑feature night sky event if weather permits.

The Orionids are produced by debris shed by Halley’s Comet as Earth crosses the comet’s dust trail each October. Particles the size of grains of sand burn up in the upper atmosphere at roughly 66 kilometers per second, producing fast, bright streaks that can linger as glowing trains. Under clear, dark skies observers can expect roughly 10 to 20 meteors per hour at peak, with occasional brighter fireballs. The shower is active from early October into early November, with the best displays appearing in the predawn hours when the constellation Orion is high in the sky.

Viewing is straightforward and requires no specialized equipment. NASA advised that "you do not need anything except your naked...