Orionids Meteor Shower Radiant. Credit: Stellarium / Bob Trembley.The Orionids are a medium strength meteor shower that occasionally reaches high levels of activity. The Orionids typically 20-25 meteors per hour; 2006-2009 were exceptional years, with peak rates similar to the Perseids (50-75 per hour). The meteors will appear to radiate from a point near the constellation Orion. The Orionids meteor shower is best seen after midnight on October 22; the Moon will be a thin waxing crescent, setting shortly after sunset, so there will be no moonlight affecting the show. .
Waxing Crescent Moon – 2.7%. Credit: StellariumPeak: October 21-22
Active from: September 23rd to November 27th
Radiant: 06:20 +15.5° (see image above)
Hourly Rate: 25
Velocity: 41 miles/sec (swift – 67km/sec)
Parent Object: 1P/Halley
Source: American Meteor Society
Interactive graphic showing the particle stream from comet 1P/Halley:
NASA ScienceCasts: A Meteor Shower from Halley’s Comet:
Meteor. Credit: Creative Commons, CC BY 3.0