Seen the comet? See it now with “Shooting Stars” from Halley’s Comet

Since there hasn’t been enough excitement about comets this month, here’s your chance to see the impact of Halley’s Comet, the most famous blob of ice, rock and dust in the solar system.

Halley’s Comet was last seen in 1986 and is not expected to appear in the solar system until 2061. Still, it will make an impact this week when pieces of it left behind from previous visits to the solar system crash into Earth’s atmosphere as spectacular “shooting stars.”

Here’s everything you need to know about the Orionid meteor shower in 2024:

ForbesYour ultimate guide to finding the comet every night this week – before it fadesFrom

When is the Orionid meteor shower?

The Orionid meteor shower extends from September 26 to November 2, 2024, with peak activity occurring on Monday, October 21 and into the early hours of Tuesday, October 22. This is the night to aim for, although there are few nights on either side. Should also be good provided the skies are clear.

The best time to see shooting stars is after midnight, as that’s when you’ll be on the night side of Earth, traveling head-on through the remnants of Halley’s Comet. You should expect to see about 20 shooting stars per hour, although the presence of a 72% illuminated waning moon, which rises about two hours before midnight, may blunt the effect.

Orionid Meteor Shower: Where to Look for Shooting Stars

The key to seeing Orionids is patience. Although “shooting stars” can appear anywhere in the night sky, it is advisable to take a vague look in the direction of the constellation of origin of this meteor shower, Orion. Its most famous guideposts are the three stars of Orion’s Belt – Alnitak, Alnilam and Mintaka.

In October and November, Orion will be in the southeastern sky around midnight, just when shooting stars are most common. The bright spot will be near the red supergiant star Betelgeuse, which will be located above Orion’s belt. Orionids appear to come from this point. Keep searching; You may see a “shooting star” streak across the Orion constellation.

Best Ways to See the Orionid Meteor Shower

Here are some tips to make the most of the Orion meteor shower:

• Avoid using optical aids such as telescopes and binoculars to get as wide a view of the sky as possible.
• Away from light-polluted cities and into the dark country sky. If you are about 40 miles from a major city, any “shooting stars” will appear much brighter than in a city.
• “Go into the dark” by not looking at your smartphone, whose white light destroys your night vision, which can only be restored after 20 minutes of darkness.
• Take a garden chair or sun lounger with you to make the spectacle easier on your neck muscles – and make sure you wear warm clothing.

Meteor, comet, shooting star: what’s the difference?

Size matters. A comet is a snowball of dust, gas, and rock that orbits the sun and occasionally enters the solar system. The comet uses solar radiation to expel some of this material, such as rock particles and dust. If the rock has a diameter of around 10 meters, it is called an asteroid; If it’s smaller, it’s a meteoroid. When meteoroids burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere, they become meteors – also called shooting stars.

I wish you clear skies and big eyes.