This meteor shower is lighting up skies in Canada and you could see 'bright fireballs'
The meteors come from Comet Halley. ☄️
Starry night sky in Alberta.
A stunning meteor shower is happening across Canada in October.
The shooting stars sometimes have "persistent trains" in the sky, and you could even see "bright fireballs."
Each year, the Earth passes through the stream of Comet Halley, which leads to the Orionid meteor shower lighting up the sky.
It's named after Orion because the meteors seem to radiate from the constellation Orion.
In 2025, the Orionids are expected to peak overnight from Monday, October 20, into Tuesday, October 21.
The radiant point of this meteor shower rises before midnight and is highest in the sky at 2 a.m., according to EarthSky.
You can find it in the southeast sky, above Sirius and to the left of the constellation Orion.
The higher the radiant is above the horizon, the more meteors you're likely to see, according to Time and Date.
The Orionids produce a maximum of 10 to 20 meteors per hour when there's a dark sky with no moonlight.
EarthSky noted these fast-moving meteors can have "persistent trains" that streak across the sky.
Also, the Orionids can sometimes produce "bright fireballs."
During this year's peak, the moon will be in the new moon phase, which means the sky will be dark.
You don't need any special equipment, like a telescope or binoculars, to see a meteor shower.
It's recommended that you find a viewing spot away from city lights and give your eyes enough time to adjust to the dark once you get there.
Then, you should lie down on the ground or lean your head back against something like a lawn chair or your car so it's easier to look at the sky.
Even though meteors seem to originate from the radiant, shooting stars can actually appear anywhere in the sky.
So, you don't have to find the constellation Orion to see meteors, but it's a good starting point.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.