If you happen to be up late studying this week (or doing something else) and find yourself walking home (from the library of course) between 1 a.m. and dawn, take a moment and look up at the sky.
You might just see a shooting start. But if you’re lucky, you could catch a glimpse of a full blown meteor shower. The Orionid meteor shower is peaking right now.
It’s been called a smaller version of the Perseid meteor shower that takes place each year in August.
The Orionid meteor event takes place annually in October and appears in the sky as if it’s radiating from the Orion constellation.
The shower is caused by the earth trailing through leftover dust from the famous Halley’s Comet.
The meteor showers are expected to be able to be seen from vantage points in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres and as long as the clouds stay at bay, it should be an excellent time to get a good view because the moon is just a sliver right now.
Your best chance to get out and see the meteor shower is in the early morning hours within the next few days, up until October 24. After that, the shooting stars will slow to about five per hour, experts say.
So whether you happen to be walking around campus in the wee hours, or you need a clever date idea, be sure to check out the Orionid Meteor Shower this week!
Photo credit: Ralph Arvesen