If you’re anything like us, a celestial show is impossible to resist (even if it means staying up past midnight). Every month brings its own sky-gazing delights, but October is extra special. On the seventh, we were treated to the first of three rare consecutive supermoons, and now one of the year’s best meteor showers, the Orionids, is in progress. If you’re keen to catch a glimpse, here’s everything you need to know about spotting the Orionids meteor shower in Australia.
What is the Orionids meteor shower?
The Orionids are one of two annual meteor showers, often called shooting stars, created by dust and debris left behind by the famed Halley’s Comet. As these tiny particles heat up while hurtling toward Earth, they streak across the sky, leaving glowing trails.
At the shower’s peak, viewers in northern Australia can expect to see up to 20 meteors per hour, while those in the south might catch around 12 per hour.
When is the Orionids meteor shower?
The Orionids meteor shower is in full swing, with shooting stars visible from early October to November 7. The meteor shower peaked on October 22, when Earth passed through the thickest part of Halley’s trail of debris. But don’t worry if you missed it – the Orionids should remain visible in the night sky until November 7.
How to see the Orionids meteor shower in Australia?
Like most meteor showers, the Orionids are best seen in the early hours of the morning. Find a dark stargazing spot far away from the city or street lights, give your eyes 15 to 20 minutes to adjust (no phones allowed), and just after midnight, look northeast.
You can use this interactive sky map to locate the radiant (the point in the sky from which the meteors appear to originate). The higher the radiant sits above the horizon, the more shooting stars you’re likely to see.