Already have an account?
Get back to the
Health

Get Your Wishes Ready: Orionid Meteor Shower Returns on October 20

Tags:

Mark your calendars, because the Orionid meteor shower is back and as beautiful as ever. Though the stunning array of shooting stars already began on October 2, it will last until November 7, with the shower peaking on October 20. Believe us, this is an astronomical event you don’t want to miss.

What Is the Orionid Meteor Shower, Exactly?

The Orionid meteor shower happens every October as rocky particles break away from Halley’s Comet and pass through Earth’s upper atmosphere. Halley’s comet itself sadly won’t be making another appearance to us Earthlings until 2061, but the light show left behind is definitely a decent consolation prize.

On October 20, up to 25 meteors per hour will be visible in the skies above. Starting on a Friday night and ending Saturday morning, it’s the perfect excuse to sleep in on the weekend. On top of that, the new moon is also setting that evening, which greatly improves viewing conditions.

Even better news? Unlike the solar eclipse earlier this year, this spacey spectacle does not require you to be in a certain location to see it. The Orionid Meteor Shower is visible from anywhere on Earth. And you don’t have to buy any special viewing items like solar eclipse glasses. Yay!

To get the best view, try going outside sometime after midnight in an area that is as far away from light pollution as possible. Give your eyes enough time to adjust to the dark; about 20 minutes should do. Keep in mind that even though these meteors move fast, they often leave visible trails behind, so be on the lookout for any movement you spot.

P.S. If you like to make wishes on shooting stars, we hope all of them come true!

h/t HouseBeautiful

More from Woman’s World

The 14 Craziest Things Ever Spotted Out of a Plane

Rare ‘Pink’ Rainbow Lights Up the Sky

The 11 Weirdest Sights Ever Formed in the Sky

Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items. Use right arrow key to move into submenus. Use escape to exit the menu. Use up and down arrow keys to explore. Use left arrow key to move back to the parent list.