October meteors can release additional bright fireballs and meteors

The night sky could be even more gorgeous than usual this month, thanks to the Orionid meteor shower.

The annual meteor shower is considered one of the most beautiful meteor showers of the year, known for illuminating the dark sky with bright and fast meteors that can leave long light trails, According to NASA.

This autumnal meteor shower can occasionally produce fireballs: exceptionally bright meteors that can be seen over a very wide area.

Orionids earned their name by appearing to have originated from a part of the sky containing the constellation Orion, but Orionid meteors are actually fragments of dust left in the wake of the famous Halley’s Comet, which also produces the Eta Aquarids meteor shower each spring. Related: Giant planets in parade, meteors falling: Tips for observing the sky in October

The 2022 Orionids have already begun and will last until November 22, peaking in the pre-dawn hours of October 21 at about 10-20 meteors per hour.

For the best chance of seeing the most amazing meteor, NASA says it stares up into the southeast sky 45 to 90 degrees from the constellation Orion. If you can’t find Orion, no problem – just face the southeast sky and give your eyes about half an hour to adjust to the darkness, at which point you should start seeing meteors.

You don’t need special equipment to watch Orionids; Simply put on warm clothes and head out after midnight under a clear sky, as dark as possible, where you can enjoy a wide expanse of the night sky. Some of Michigan’s best spots for stargazing include the beaches of remote lakes, dark-sky parks, and much of the Upper Peninsula.

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