Orionids! (meteor shower peaks this week)

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I forgot to mention this during the radio show.

Hopefully you’ll be able to hear/read about this in other places this week so you’ll know, but in case ya don’t, this is your official meteor shower alert!

The Orionids are expected to peak Thursday morning, October 22, with heightened activity between the 21 – 23.  Add to this formula that the new moon happens this week, and ya gets lotsa dark to see more activity, easier; hopefully you’ll not be plagued with cloud cover.

I found a nice, simple Orionids write-up at this blog.  I’m nabbing their Orionid radiant illustration because it’s really easy to understand; click it to check out their blog:

 

The link to Robert Lunsford’s more-detailed, weekly shower write-up is always in the lower right hand column on this blog (under Astronomy  “This week’s meteor showers”); if you don’t feel like scrolling down, just click here.  If you go there, you’ll see there’s tons more than the Orionids going on.  Those with the need to wish upon a star are in grand luck this week.  The Southern Taurids are kicking out the jams, as are the Leonis Minorids, and there are several other showers in various stages of activity.

According to Lunsford, the early morning, pre-dawn hours are currently best, but if you look to a clear, dark night sky during the evening, you should be able to see at least one shooting star, if you have several minutes to burn. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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~ by Richard on Saturday, October 17, 2009 ... 1:33.