Weather

Prepare for a meteor shower you may have never heard of

Any clear night in October offers plenty to see in the night sky.

epa04882060 A Perseid meteor streaks across a clear dawn sky over the Northeastern United States, in Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA, 13 August 2015. The Perseid meteor shower results from the earth passing through debris left by the comet Swift-Tuttle as it passes though our solar system every 133 years. EPA/MATT CAMPBELL EPA/MATT CAMPBELL

By David Epstein

October 20, 2016

The second half of October promises a few treats in the night sky, but viewing said stars, planets, and meteors might be a bit tricky. If you have the patience, the rewards will be great.

For one, the less popular Orionid meteor shower peaks this month. It began two weeks ago and will peak early in the morning on Saturday, October 22 between midnight and dawn. The moon will still be visible, and its light will make it harder to see the meteors. But you can expect to see about seven to 15 meteors each hour (meaning a bit of a gap between each one).

We like to speak about the peak day for the meteors, but in reality you will likely catch several streaking across the sky any clear night this month and into early November.

The Orionids are part of the debris of Halley ’s Comet, perhaps the most well-known of all the comets. I was fortunate to see it in 1986 when it last appeared and hopefully will be around for its next visit in 2061. The meteors in this shower appear to radiate—or come from—the areas where Orion the Hunter is located, and that’s how these got their name.

ORIONIDS peak tonight! https://t.co/taGpzdWNxu #ams #orionids #citizenscience #lightshow pic.twitter.com/ueOGJDroyV

— AMSMETEORS (@amsmeteors) October 21, 2015

Some constellations are easier to find than others. The Big Dipper is one of the most recognizable patterns of stars in the sky. Others, like Leo, can take a bit more time to discover.

This month, the moon, which will be waning, is going to help you find both Leo and the brightest star in this constellation, Regulus. Any clear morning before dawn, look to the east and find the moon. The image below from Earthsky.org gives you the position of the moon in relation to Leo for several days.