On Friday morning, the Orionid meteor shower is predicted to reach its peak, illuminating the night sky with brilliant streaks of light.
This year, the Orionids, which NASA calls “one of the most beautiful showers of the year,” can be seen in the sky between September 26 and November 22. Friday morning is the best time to see them, as the moon will be a thin crescent. This is according to EarthSky.org.
With no moon in the sky, at the peak of the Orionids, about 15 meteors per hour can be seen because of the meteors’ high velocity (148,000 mph) and consequent transformation into fireballs upon entering Earth’s atmosphere.
From both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, the Orionids can be seen, but NASA recommends avoiding bright lights to get the best view. In general, they are best seen in the wee hours of the morning.
To help your eyes adjust to the dark, NASA recommends lying flat on your back with your feet facing southeast if you are in the Northern Hemisphere, or northeast if you are in the Southern Hemisphere.
According to NASA, the comet 1P/Halley is the source of the Orionid meteor shower, which consists of debris from the comet and fragments of broken asteroids. Once every 76 years, in 1986, humanity last caught a glimpse of Halley as it made its way around the sun. In 2061, it will make its next trip into the inner solar system.
According to NASA, the Orion constellation is where the meteors “appear to come from” in the sky.