Bits of Halley's Comet to Rain Down Sunday Morning!!

Weather permitting and under very dark skies away from the light pollution, skywatchers could see several meteors per hour. Rates will be significantly lower in cities and suburban areas. This year, brilliant Mars, is nearby and is the apparent source of these meteors, called radiant, will be positioned roughly between Mars and Betelgeuse.





This meteor display is known as the Orionids because the meteors seem to fan out from the region to the north of Orion's second brightest star, ruddy Betelgeuse.

A good time to begin preparing for your meteor vigil, would be around 1:30 a.m. local daylight time on Sunday October 21. It will be at its best several hours later at around 5:00 a.m. when Orion is highest in the skky toward the south, Orinonids typically produce around 20 to 25 meteors per hour under a clear, dark sky. Orionid meteors are dim and can't be seen very well from urban locations, so if you want to be able to see the best Orionid activity, find a safe rural location!