This weekend the Orionid meteor shower will make its presence felt as the Earth will pass through the Halley’s Comet remnants. The meteorites will light up the night skies, creating a genuine light spectacle.
About the Orionid meteor shower
Usually, a meteor shower consists of debris released by comets or other space rocks. The Orionid meteor shower, for its part, is made up of the remnants of the material of Halley’s Comet that’s orbiting around the Sun.
Once every 75 years, Halley’s Comet passes by the Earth, leaving a trail of ice water and dust as it flees next to our planet.
aEach year, in October or November, the space rock whizz by Earth, leaving a track of debris behind it. That remnants trigger what we know as the Orionid meteor shower.
Halley’s Comet Meteors Would Light Up The Night Skies As The Orionid Meteor Shower
“The Orionid meteor shower is one of the best known and most reliable meteor showers in the annual calendar, visible from across the globe. Some people view the shower as extra special as the meteors are actually pieces of Comet 1P/Halley, famously known as Halley’s comet,” stated the Royal Observatory Greenwich, in the UK.
“The famous comet swings by the earth only once every 75 to 76 years, but this annual shower provides some compensation for those who may miss that once in a lifetime event,” the scientists from the institute added.
Even those amateur astronomers know when a meteor shower happens. In the case of Orionid meteor shower, resulting from the debris left by the Halley’s Comet, the researchers noted that the event would peak on October 22nd. However, the phenomenon would be visible from today until October 27th.
“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,” stated the Royal Observatory Greenwich.