CHARLOTTE, N.C. — By the end of the weekend, another meteor shower can be seen all across the planet (of course weather depending). Here in Charlotte it will be cold BUT mostly clear.
On the mornings of Sunday and Monday (October 21st and 22nd) the peak of the Orionid Meteor Shower will be upon us. The Orionids are known for their faster meteors that are zooming through our atmosphere at over 145,000 mph. They are also quite bright when gazed upon in a dark setting.
BEST VIEWING:
The best viewing will be after 2 am and before dawn. The sweet spot looks to be 2 hours before dawn. They will be radiating from the constellation Orion BUT that is not the best place to view them. Look away from the constellation Orion for your best chance to see 15-20 meteors per hour. The best way to locate and recognize Orion is by finding Orion’s Belt that has 3 stars lined closely together.
Find a dark spot, grab some extra blankets and give your eyes 20 minutes to adjust to the dark. Sunday morning will be a chilly start in the low 40’s and Monday morning is even colder in the mid to upper 30’s.
A Little Extra Information Just Because:
These Meteors are called the Orionids because they radiate from the Constellation Orion. We see these meteors every October as the earth passes through a dust cloud left over from Halley’s Comet. Debris and particles in this dust cloud burn up in our atmosphere creating the illusion of a “shooting star”. Meteors associated with the Orionids can be seen starting in early October through early November, but the peak (Oct. 21 & 22 in the early AM) is what stargazers look forward to! Halley’s Comet is also the parent comet for the Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower we see in May as well!
