If you look up to the night sky later this week you might just catch a glimpse of the annual Orionid meteor shower.
The Orionid meteor shower occurs when Earth passes through a trail of debris left behind by Hailey’s comet each October, Stardome astronomer Josh Aoraki said.
“These tiny dust and ice particles burn up as they enter our atmosphere, creating bright streaks of light across the night sky, also known as shooting stars or meteors.”
Aoraki said it was known for being bright, and sometimes leaving glowing trails that lingered for a few seconds.
When can you see the Orionids?
The Orionids peak every October and in New Zealand it was active throughout the month, Aoraki said.
The peak however, would occur in the morning hours of Wednesday, October 22, weather permitting.
Aoraki said the meteors appeared to radiate from the constellation Orion which rose in the north eastern late at night, so the best time to view them would be between midnight and dawn on October 22, when Orion would be high above the horizon.
However, the meteors could be visible until November 7.
The Orionids would coincide with a new moon, meaning the sky would be darker than other times in the lunar cycle, making for a more dazzling view.
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Where to get the best view?
The meteor shower would be most visible anywhere where there was a clear dark sky, ideally away from light pollution.
In Auckland, a good view would be on top of one of the maungas with a clear view to the north-east.
The meteors should be visible to the naked eye, but you may need to be patient and wait up to half an hour to see them.
How’s the weather looking?
At this stage, the weather on Wednesday for the North Island, was looking clear with the possibility of some showers, according to MetService.
The South Island was also looking clear, albeit with the possibility of some strong winds in Christchurch, Otago and Southland.
rnz.co.nz
