You can see one of ‘most beautiful meteor showers’ of 2024 in California sky. Here’s when
October is packed with celestial events — and California stargazers are in for yet another treat, according to NASA.
The Orionids meteor shower will soon shoot across the California sky.
You can catch a glimpse of the shooting stars under prime conditions.
“Just in time for Halloween, stargazers can anticipate another treat in the pre-dawn hours of Oct. 20 and 21 thanks to the Orionid meteor showers,” NASA said.
Here’s how to catch a glimpse in California:
Where do meteors come from?
Meteors are leftover particles from comets and broken asteroids, NASA said.
As comets orbit the sun, they leave dusty trails behind them.
When Earth passes through these trails, the bits of dust collide with Earth’s atmosphere, causing meteors to burn up and create bright streaks in the sky.
What is the Orionid meteor shower? When is it?
The Orionids are considered “one of the most beautiful meteor showers of the year,” NASA said.
They peak during mid-October every year.
“Orionid meteors are known for their brightness and for their speed,” NASA said.
The Orionid meteor shower has a rich legacy, as its parent is the famous Halley’s Comet.
Each time Halley’s comet passes through the inner solar system, it sheds ice and dust, which later form the Orionid meteors in October and Eta Aquarid meteors in May, according to NASA.
Halley’s comet orbits the sun every 76 years and was last seen in 1986, with its next appearance expected in 2061.
“So, while it’ll take another 37 years to see Halley’s comet, the Orionids offer a glimpse of its past,” NASA said.
How can I watch the meteor shower in California?
The best time to view the Orionid meteor shower in California is during the hours after midnight and before dawn on the mornings of Sunday, Oct. 20, and Monday, Oct. 21.
To watch the meteor shower from California skies, you should “find an area well away from city or street lights,” according to Bill Cooke, who leads NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama,
“Come prepared with a blanket,” Cooke said. “Lie flat on your back and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible.”
“In less than 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adapt and you will begin to see meteors,” he added.
