The video player above shows footage of a meteor caught on camera in 2022.
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — An annual meteor shower will be happening on Saturday night.
The Orionid meteors appear during mid-October each year, as remnants of Halley’s Comet. The meteor shower will peak on the night of Saturday, Oct. 21, according to NASA.
Why are they called Orionids? The meteors got their name due to the proximity in the sky to the Orion constellation. You can see the meteors all across the night sky, but the Orion constellation is where they often originate when they appear.
The Orionid meteors come from Halley’s Comet. They are the remnants of ice and rocky dust particles that the comet sheds during each return to the inner solar system. Those remnants become the meteors seen as they collide with Earth’s atmosphere every April and October.
Halley’s Comet only comes around every 76 years. The last observation of the comet was 1986, and will not be seen again until 2061.
You can view the meteor shower from almost anywhere, and with the moon in its first quarter, those looking for the meteors may see 10 to 20 per hour. As long as we have clear skies, the shower will be visible.
To best see the meteors, NASA recommends being away from city or street lights. Lie flat with your feet facing southeast, and allow your eyes to adjust to the dark, which can take a little less than 30 minutes.
The meteor showers will last until dawn, which gives viewers lots of time to catch sight of a “shooting star.”
Find more information about the meteors here.
