Science

Orionids 2019: What time is the meteor shower tonight? How to see the Orionid meteors?


Individual Orionid break out across the skies every year between the first week of October and November. The meteor shower grows in intensity when Earth passes through the debris-littered orbit of Comet 1P/Halley. Then, on one night towards the end of October, the shower erupts into a dazzling display of fireworks known as the peak.

What is the Orionid meteor shower?

Orionid meteors are the orbital debris of the world-famous Comet Halley or Halley’s Comet.

When the icy rock zips around the solar system, its outer layers slowly crumble away under the Sun’s intense heat.

The pieces of orbital debris are then left behind in the comet’s tail until they encounter our planet.

Because the Earth crosses Halley’s orbit, the bits and pieces of space rock hit our atmosphere at great speeds.

But before any of the meteorites can hit the ground, they spectacularly burn up in the atmosphere and produce a meteor shower.

Astronomers estimate the Orionid shower produces between 20 and 25 shooting stars during the peak.

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 Meteor showers are best seen when the skies are dark and clear.

Shooting stars cannot be seen in the daytime hours but even a bright Moon late at night could ruin the experience.

Because of this, astronomers advise meteor hunting is best done after midnight and before dawn.

Tonight, here in the UK, a half-lit Third Quarter Moon will rise about 11.29pm BST over London and set tomorrow around 3.46pm BST.

But do not worry if you miss the peak tonight because there will still be some limited visibility over the next few days.

The Royal Observatory Greenwich in London said: “Hunting for meteors, like the rest of astronomy, is a waiting game, so it’s best to bring a comfy chair to sit on and to wrap up warm as you could be outside for a while.

“They can be seen with the naked eye so there’s no need for binoculars or a telescope, though you will need to allow your eyes to adjust to the dark.”

For the best results, the Observatory advises staying away from sources of light such as street lamps and buildings.

A wide-open field under the starlit sky is usually a safe bet for stargazing.

Where to look for the Orionid meteor shower?

If you have picked a time and location to hunt down the Orionids you might want to know where to look.

The good news is there is no specific part of the sky you will need to look at.

Orionids will appear to emerge from their namesake constellation Orion the Hunter.

But the meteors will graze the skies at 41miles per second in every direction imaginable.

Instead, the best to tip is to simply sit back and try to see as much of the night sky at once as possible.



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