Look up at the sky, and you may spot a meteor shower!

The Orionid Meteor Shower peaks this week, with the best opportunity to spot a shooting star occurring between Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

According to the American Meteor Society, Orionids produce as many as 10-20 meteors per hour. They move quickly, at approximately 41 miles per second.

While Orionids are active from September 26 to November 22, they peak around October 20-21, which corresponds to Wednesday night through Thursday morning this year.

Unfortunately, the Hunter Moon will be full to nearly full during the peak of the Orionids, and cloud cover may spread in over metro Atlanta ahead of an advancing cold front.

Still, if you look up at the sky and see a bright object fly by, you may have spotted an Orionid meteor!

EarthSky.org says the meteor shower occurs when Earth passes through the debris associated with Halley’s Comet, the “parent comet of the Orionid shower.”

If you are a night owl hoping to spot an Orionid, bear in mind that city centers produce light pollution that can “drown out” the brightness of the meteor. The best place to spot a meteor shower is in an open area with little to no ambient light. Look about 20-30 degrees above the horizon.

It’s also Fireball Season!

Every Fall and Winter, keep watch for fireballs that light up the sky. According to the American Meteor Society:

A fireball is another term for a very bright meteor, generally brighter than magnitude -4, which is about the same magnitude of the planet Venus in the morning or evening sky. A bolide is a special type of fireball which explodes in a bright terminal flash at its end, often with visible fragmentation.

—  American Meteor Society

If you see any meteor showers or fireballs fly across the night sky, be sure to share with us at 95.5 WSB!

Connect With Me!

Facebook: Christina Edwards WSB

Twitter: @ChristinaWSBwx



Listen

news

weather

traffic

mobile apps

Everything you love about wsbradio.com and more! Tap on any of the buttons below to download our app.

amazon alexa

Enable our Skill today to listen live at home on your Alexa Devices!