WILMINGTON — Stargazers are in for a treat this weekend as the Orionid Meteor Shower reaches its peak. The Orionid Meteor Shower happens every year and follows the Perseid Meteor Shower which peaked in August.
According to NASA, “Orionid meteors appear every year around this time, when Earth travels through an area of space littered with debris from Halley’s Comet.”
Katherine Hunt, Planetarium Manager at Ingram Planetarium said the best chance to catch a glimpse of the shower is to look to the east early Saturday morning, before dawn.
Although the Orionid Meteor Shower has already begun, this weekend will prove to be the peak of the show since unlike the moon during the Perseid Meteor Shower, the moon during this weekend will be relatively dark which makes it easier to spot the meteors, Hunt said.
“We are in an optimal day to see it so we are just after the new moon. The best time is in the wee hours of the morning towards the east and you can expect 15-20 meteors per hour,” Hunt said.
While The Ingram Planetarium is not hosting a viewing party for the Orionid Meteor Shower due to the late night hours that would be required, on Oct. 28 at 8 p.m. there will be a party for International Observe the Moon Night. Guests are invited to bring their own telescopes and observe the moon, but for those without their own scopes, the planetarium will have several available for public use.
Michael Praats can be reached at Michael.p@localvoicemedia.com
