This Beautiful Meteor Shower Peaks This Week & Here's How To Watch It In Canada
Keep your eyes on the skies! ✨
Meteors in the night sky.
Get ready to stargaze! A spectacular meteor shower will be visible from Canada this month and you won't want to miss it.
The Orionids meteor shower, which is considered to be one of the most beautiful meteor showers of the year, will peak in October with a dazzling display.
The Orionids are shooting stars that appear every year from the end of September to the end of November, coming from leftover particles from Halley's comet, according to NASA.
The meteors, which are viewable in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres, are known for their brightness and speed, travelling over 238,000 kilometres per hour into Earth's atmosphere.
The Orionids can leave glowing trains in the sky, and can sometimes even become fireballs. They're also framed by some of the brightest stars in the sky, making for a beautiful show.
When can I see the Orionid meteor shower?
According to NASA, the meteor shower will peak on October 21, 2023. At this time, viewers will be able to see about 23 meteors per hour in moonless skies.
According to EarthSky, you'll want to look for the shooting stars on both October 21 and 22, after midnight and in the early hours before dawn.
It's predicted that the greatest number of meteors can be seen during the morning of October 22, in a moonless sky.
As for where you may want to take in the show, dark skies are best for viewing cosmic events. Thankfully, there are plenty of places for stargazing in Canada offering minimal light pollution and a clear view of the skies, including national parks and dark sky preserves.
Where in the sky can I see the Orionid meteor shower?
The radiant of the meteor shower, aka the point in the sky from which they appear to come from, is the constellation Orion.
However, according to NASA, you'll want to view the Orionids 45-90 degrees away from the radiant, where they'll appear longer and "more spectacular."
The space agency recommends lying flat on your back with your feet facing southeast, looking up and taking in as much of the sky as possible.
The meteor shower will last until dawn, offering plenty of opportunities for you to catch sight of a shooting star.
If you miss the show, don't fret — Canadians will be treated to plenty of other spectacular celestial events in 2023, including two eclipses, the Taurids meteor shower, and the Geminids shower.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
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