Meteor showers, frequently called natural fireworks, are one of Mother Nature’s most spectacular events and tonight millions of people will get a chance to observe the unique Orionid meteor shower.
The meteor shower will reach its apex between Saturday & Sunday and the skies will be lightened by the Orionids – debris from Hailey’s Comet. The first to learn more about the Hailey’s Comet was Edmond Hailey and the comet was named after him. The astronomer suggested that the comet which was seen in 1682, 1531 and 1607 was the same and predicting its return in 1758, therefore proving that it is the same comet.
The Orionids pass near earth every October when the planed goes through the comet’s orbit. Hailey’s Comet was last observed in 1986 and astronomers suggest that we’ll see it again in 2061.
Bill Cooke of NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office says: “The Orionids are known as one of the most spectacular meteor showers. In some years, you can see over 60 meteors per hour – a number which no other meteor shower can offer.” If you don’t to wait until 2061, the Orionid meteor shower is the perfect opportunity for you to gaze at a small fraction of the Hailey’s Comet’s beauty.
