Keep your eye on the sky: Dazzling meteor shower to peak this weekend
The dazzling Orionid meteor shower will peak very soon and here’s when Canadian skywatchers can catch the spectacular celestial event.
According to NASA, the Orionids peak in mid-October every year and are a much-anticipated event for stargazers because of their brightness and speed.
Orionid meteors are known to be extremely fast, plummeting into the Earth’s atmosphere at about 66 kilometres per second. Because they move so quickly, these meteors can sometimes leave light trails in the sky while others produce “bright fireballs,” according to EarthSky.
Vytautas Kielaitis/Shutterstock
This year’s Orionids will peak before dawn on Sunday, October 20, and Monday, October 21.
However, viewing the meteors may be tricky this time around because of the gibbous moon “where it moves between full and last quarter phases” states NASA.
This will likely reduce how many meteors will be visible to the naked eye.
There’s still a chance to see some Orionids but to do so, you’ll need to head to a very dark area away from city light pollution. Clear skies are also a must, so if there’s rain and clouds in the forecast in your part of Canada you may be out of luck.
NASA says the best way to view the light show is by lying flat on your back and “taking in as much of the sky as possible.” Your eyes will adjust to the darkness in about 30 minutes, making it easier to spot the meteors.
The Orionid meteors that are seen derive from Halley’s comet, explains EarthSky. The event takes place every year when Earth passes through the stream of debris left behind by the famous commet.
While it may be hard to see this year’s Orionid meteor shower, October has been a month filled with phenomenal celestial events including the northern lights and the Hunter’s supermoon.
With files from Laine Mitchell