Orionid Meteor Shower 2007
The Orionid meteor shower is at its best the weekend of October 20-22, peaking before dawn on the 21st.
The Name
The shower is named for the constellation Orion, the hunter, which climbs into view in the east-southeast by around midnight. If you traced the paths of the meteors, they would all appear to start in Orion. That doesn’t mean you have to look at Orion to see the meteors, though; they can streak across any part of the sky.
The Cause
Meteor showers are fickle, so their best showings can vary by several hours from year to year. That’s because a meteor shower occurs when Earth crosses the orbital path of a comet. Such a path is littered with tiny grains of rock and dust from the comet itself. As Earth flies through this trail of dust, the particles slam into our atmosphere and burn up, forming the bright streaks of light known as meteors or shooting stars.
The dust isn’t distributed evenly, however. It forms clumps of different sizes. Over the years, meteor watchers have plotted many of the clumps, but there’s still some uncertainty. So it’s tough to be certain about just what hour is the best, and just how many meteors you may see.
The View
This year’s Orionid’s are expected to be at their best on the nights of October 20 and 21. The best view comes after the Moon sets. At the peak, depending on your location and skywatching conditions, you may see a dozen or so meteors per hour.
To maximize your chances, find a dark but safe skywatching site, far from city lights. National and state parks are good choices, and some of them offer special skywatching programs on weekends. Local astronomy clubs or planetariums may offer meteor-watching programs as well. Bring a blanket and a comfortable chair, along with a flashlight with a red filter to protect your night vision.
For more information, see our 2007 Meteor Showers page.
-- Damond Benningfield
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