Orionid Meteor Shower Is About to Peak in a Moonless Sky
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A cosmic light show linked to one of history’s most famous comets is set to dazzle Canadian skywatchers overnight, as the Orionid meteor shower reaches its peak. Even though Halley’s Comet won’t return to our skies until 2061,
Comet Lemmon's nucleus is believed to be just a couple of miles in diameter. This is relatively small compared to other previously visible comets, such as the giant Hale-Bopp, which was visible in the skies for a record 18 months in 1996 and 1997 due to being a whopping 37 miles in diameter.
October marks the return of the Orionid meteor shower, during which the Earth passes through the trail of debris left behind by Halley’s Comet, the pieces burning up brightly as they enter our atmosphere. It’s one of two annual meteor showers involving the comet (the other is the Eta Aquarids in May).
Already in full swing, the Orionid meteor shower may have reached its peak overnight on October 20-21, but the show is still set to go on for another couple of days.