"The Orionids - one of two major meteor showers caused by remnants from Halley's comet - will peak with the arrival of a new moon, providing an excellent opportunity to see shooting stars without interference from moonlight. During Tuesday morning's peak, expect to see up to 20 meteors per hour in ideal viewing conditions, said Thaddeus LaCoursiere, planetarium program coordinator at the Bell Museum in St. Paul, Minnesota. Viewing lasts until Nov. 7."
"As the Earth orbits the sun, several times a year it passes through debris left by passing comets and sometimes asteroids. The source of the Orionids is debris from Halley's comet. When these fast-moving space rocks enter Earth's atmosphere, the debris encounters new resistance from the air and becomes very hot, eventually burning up. Sometimes the surrounding air glows briefly, leaving behind a fiery tail - the end of a "shooting star.""
The Orionids will peak during a new moon, producing optimal dark-sky viewing conditions and a potential maximum of about 20 meteors per hour in ideal conditions. The shower originates from debris left by Halley's comet, which returns near Earth roughly every 75 years, and produces two major annual showers. Fast-moving meteoroids encounter atmospheric resistance, heat up, and burn, sometimes leaving brief glowing trails or lingering trains. Visible viewing continues through Nov. 7. No special equipment is required; best viewing is after midnight into pre-dawn in a dark location away from city lights and with cloudless skies. Avoid smartphone use to allow eyes to adapt.
Read at The Mercury News
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