Orionids 2019: Can you still see the Orionid meteor shower tonight?
THE Orionids 2019 meteor shower peaked last night and many unfortunate stargazers missed the event completely – but will you still be able to see the Orionid shower tonight?
Orionid meteor shower: How to watch the phenomenon
Astronomers expected the Orionid peak on October 21 to produce between 20 and 25 meteors an hour. Despite the hopeful forecast and clear weather conditions, many stargazers did not see a single Orionid meteor. Many social media users took to Twitter to complain about their unfruitful meteor hunting adventures.
One person asked on Twitter: “Who else missed the Orionids Meteor shower last night?”
Another person said: “Not seeing any meteors but at least I saw the ISS. Seeing that always makes me happy. #Orionids”
A Twitter user also said: “Will I stay up late to see the meteor shower? Yes.
“Do I know that I probably can’t see them? Yes.
“Will that stop me? Probably not. #Orionids”
READ MORE: The top 5 astronomy events you shouldn’t miss this year
Can you still see the Orionid meteor shower tonight?
The Orionids are active each year between there first weeks of October and November.
During this month-long period of activity, single meteors will sporadically crisscross the night skies.
Because of this, astronomers always look out for the shower’s peak at the end of October.
This year, the meteor shower peaked on the night of October 21 to October 22.
But if you missed the shower last night, the good news is you still might be able to spot a meteor or two tonight.
Astronomer Deborah Byrd of EarthSky.org said: “Meteor showers aren’t just one-night events.
Try watching on the mornings of October 21, 22 and 23
“In fact, they typically last several weeks, as Earth passes through a stream of debris left behind by a comet, in this case, the famous Comet Halley.
“According to the International Meteor Organization (IMO), the Orionids often exhibit several lesser maxima, so meteor activity may remain more or less constant for several nights in a row, centred on a peak night.
“So, before dawn on October 23, the Orionids might match – or nearly match – the numbers before dawn on October 22.”
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Orionids are typically best seen after midnight and before dawn the next morning, local time.
Tracking meteors also requires pitch-black skies and clear weather conditions.
The presence of a bright Moon or urban light pollution threatens to wash out the skies and the pale Orionid meteors.
Ms Byrd said: “The last Quarter Moon interferes somewhat with the 2019 Orionid meteor shower. Watch shortly before dawn.
“Try watching on the mornings of October 21, 22 and 23. A dark sky is always best. Have fun.”
What are the Orionid meteors?
The annual meteor shower is the byproduct of Comet 1P/Halley flying around the Sun.
Our planet sees the periodic comet once every 75 years or so but Earth happens to pass through Halley’s orbit.
The orbit is littered with dust and fragments of space rock that slam into our atmosphere at high speeds.
The bits and pieces of orbital debris vaporise in the air at speeds of around 41 miles per second.
As a result, beautiful streaks of colourful light cut across the night sky.