Orionids meteor shower peaks tonight: How to watch 'shooting stars' left behind by Halley's Comet

By Leada Gore | lgore@al.com
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on October 20, 2016 at 2:33 PM, updated October 20, 2016 at 2:41 PM

The Orionid meteor shower – the celestial debris left behind by Halley's Comet – will peak in the earning morning hours of Oct. 21.

At its peak, the Orionid shower can produce as many as 20 "shooting stars" in the night sky. The meteors are actually debris left behind by Halley's Comment as it moves through space. The debris hits the Earth each fall, peaking around Oct. 20-22.

Halley's Comet made its last Earth flyby in 1986 and it won't return until 2016.

Most Orionid meteors fall after midnight, reaching a peak in the hours just before dawn, making that the best time for viewing. Orionids meteors are known for being both bright and quick – moving at a pace of around 41 miles per second.

The moon won't be totally cooperative this year, however, and the glare of a waning gibbous moon in the early house before sunrise could interfere with the view, according to EarthSky.
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http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-orionid-meteor-shower