Orionid Meteor Shower Peaks Oct. 22 Amid Bright Moon

The Orionid meteor shower, produced by dust from Halley's Comet, is expected to peak early on Thursday morning, October 22. During the peak, observers can see roughly 20 meteors per hour from a dark, moonless sky once the bright waxing gibbous moon sets around 3 a.m. local time.

The meteors appear to radiate from a point near the star Betelgeuse in the constellation Orion. Because the comet's debris approaches Earth nearly head-on, the meteors travel at high speed, creating brief streaks of glowing plasma as they burn up in the atmosphere.

Astronomy experts advise viewing the shower from a location away from city lights, where the sky is darker. Simple equipment such as the naked eye, a comfortable chair, and warm clothing are sufficient for observation. The best viewing window runs from about 3 a.m. until dawn, when the radiant will be high enough in the sky to maximize visibility.

"Orion rises around 11 p.m., but the moon will wash out the sky until it sets," a local sky-watching guide noted. "That leaves three hours of dark-sky viewing before dawn."

The shower also offers opportunities to see other winter sky features, including the Milky Way, Jupiter, Mars, and the bright star Betelgeuse.