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While some people still mourn the long summer nights, stargazers rejoice in October’s longer nights, which give them more time to observe the starry sky. And it’s worth it. Thanks to the moon, the Orionid meteor shower is likely to provide some special wow moments this year.
The Orionids are a meteor shower whose path crosses the Earth from October 2 to November 7. The Orionids are known for their brightness, and many of them are so-called fireballs, meaning they leave a trail behind them. This makes them easy to see.
The Orionids appear to come from the constellation Orion, which is where they get their name. In fact, however, they are tiny particles of rock or dust, usually weighing only a few milligrams, left behind by Halley’s Comet on its path through our solar system.
When the Earth crosses this dust trail, these comet remnants ionise air molecules upon contact with the atmosphere before evaporating, which leads to what is known as recombination glow. Incidentally, the Eta Aquariids visible in May are also a legacy of Halley’s Comet.
The constellation Orion rises in the east at around 11 p.m. and reaches its highest point in the south shortly before dawn. However, you don’t have to look directly at the constellation, as the shooting stars are visible across the entire sky.
The peak of the meteor shower is expected during the night of October 21 to 22. What’s special this year is that it will be a new moon that night so that it will be really dark.
No, the shooting stars can be seen with the naked eye, provided the sky is clear. It’s best to find a dark place with a good panoramic view away from light pollution and give your eyes about half an hour to adjust to the darkness.
- source: heute.at/picture: pixabay.com
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