Biggest Meteor Shower Of Year To Peak Early Friday

<p>Along with the Geminids in December and the Perseids in August, the most reliable annual display of &ldquo;shooting stars&rdquo; is the Orionid meteor shower this month, according to Space.com.&nbsp;</p>

Thursday, October 20th 2016, 2:02 pm

By: News On 6


Along with the Geminids in December and the Perseids in August, the most reliable annual display of “shooting stars” is the Orionid meteor shower this month, according to Space.com. 

The annual event usually runs October 16 to October 26.  

The numbers seen by an observer tend to reach a maximum of 20 per hour when the conditions are clear and dark and the shower radiant point  which is near the border of the constellations Orion and Gemini.

Space.com says this time, a full moon will dim your view.

The Orionids are often referred to as the “legacy of Halley’s Comet.” In fact, these tiny rocks and flecks of dust are merely the cosmic litter that the comet has left behind in space along its orbit around the sun, according to Space.com. 

Halley’s Comet is due to return to the inner solar system in the summer of 2061.

NASA Meteor Watch

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