Halley’s Comet Barraging Earth With Debris

Tonight, astronomers are urged to keep their eyes open for a dazzling display as Halley’s Comet showers Earth with meteors. The Orionid meteor shower, known for its bright streaks and fireballs, will grace the eastern sky in a celestial light show. The streaks can be seen for minutes at a time and may persist even after a meteor has disappeared from sight.

Although the shower began at the start of October and is expected to last until November 7, it will reach its peak brightness this coming Wednesday night and early Thursday morning. A nearly full Moon, at 77 percent illumination, will compete with the meteor shower but will set early in the morning.

Halley’s Comet, a long-period comet with a 76-year orbit around the Sun, last visited our skies in 1986 and won’t return until 2061. The Orionids, remnants of the comet's encounter with the Sun, become visible twice a year when Earth passes through the debris field. The best time to observe the Orionids is after moonset and before dawn, around 3:30 AM EST. To watch the shower, NASA advises going outside the city to find a dark spot away from light pollution.

With clear skies, you can expect to see up to 20 streaks cross the sky each hour. Be sure to look toward the southeast; the shower originates near the constellation Orion, but is easily seen by looking southeast.