CLEVELAND — The Orionid meteor shower peaks tonight! Will we be able to see it with all these clouds around though?
Unfortunately, there will likely be too many clouds in the sky this evening, coupled with cold temperatures in the 30s and low 40s.
The good news is the meteor shower is active throughout the rest of October and November. You will certainly have a few days this week with a mostly clear sky. Plus, temperatures are warming up this weekend. Lows in the 40s and 50s will be likely, so it will be much easier to spend longer periods of time outside looking for shooting stars!
The Orionid meteor shower is considered a moderate shower, usually producing 10-20 meteors per hour at its peak, under clear, dark skies. This year, the Moon will be about 20% full on the peak nights. So it will interfere a bit when it rises a couple of hours before dawn, but shouldn't totally spoil the viewing during the evening.
The shower's name comes from the fact that you can trace the paths of its meteors back to an area on the sky near Orion. These meteors are fragments of dust left behind by Comet Halley in a trail that extends along its orbit. They tend to be bright and fast moving, and they often leave persistent trails that can glow in the sky for a few seconds after they streak by.
No special equipment is needed to observe meteor showers. Just make sure you're warm enough, and viewing from a safe, dark spot away from bright lights. Then all you have to do is look up and enjoy the show!!
