South Africans hoping to catch a glimpse of shooting stars should keep an eye on the night sky tonight, as the annual Orionid meteor shower reaches its peak overnight on Wednesday, 21 October, into Thursday, 22 October.
The shower is known for its fast-moving meteors, some of which leave glowing trails across the sky. Under ideal dark-sky conditions, observers could see around 10 to 20 meteors an hour, although bright moonlight is expected to make fainter ones harder to spot this year.
The good news is that the Orionids can be seen from both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, making South Africa well placed to watch the annual event, weather permitting.
When is the best time to see the Orionid meteor shower?
Although the shower is active throughout October and into early November, its peak falls on the night of 21 to 22 October this year.
The best opportunity to spot meteors is generally after midnight and into the early morning hours, when the constellation Orion is higher in the sky. This year, it is worth being patient and watching closer to dawn, when moonlight may be less disruptive.
There is, however, no guarantee of a spectacular display. Even during a meteor shower’s peak, the number of visible meteors depends on the weather, light pollution and how bright the sky is.
Where should you look?
Despite its name, you do not need to stare directly at the constellation Orion to see the Orionids.
The meteors appear to radiate from a point near Orion, but they can streak across different parts of the sky. NASA recommends looking across a broad area of sky rather than focusing only on the constellation itself.
For the best chance of seeing them:
- Get away from city lights: A dark location with an unobstructed view of the sky will improve visibility.
- Give your eyes time to adjust: Allow around 20 to 30 minutes in the dark and avoid looking at a bright phone screen.
- Watch with the naked eye: You do not need a telescope or binoculars to see meteors.
- Check the weather: Cloud cover can spoil the view, even when meteor activity is high.
What causes the Orionid meteor shower?
The Orionids are caused by debris left behind by Halley’s Comet, one of the best-known comets in our Solar System.
As Earth travels around the Sun, it passes through the trail of dust and small particles left by the comet. When these fragments enter Earth’s atmosphere at around 66 kilometres per second, they heat up and produce the bright streaks commonly called shooting stars.
The comet itself does not need to be nearby for the shower to occur. Halley’s Comet last passed through the inner Solar System in 1986 and is expected to return in 2061, but Earth crosses its debris trail every year.
The Orionids remain active until around 7 November, so anyone who misses the peak tonight may still have a chance to spot a meteor over the coming days.