Draconids, Orionids light up October night skies
October brings two meteor showers to skywatchers, along with a packed week of space events.
The Draconids are active from October 6 to 10, peaking on the nights of October 8 and 9. They radiate from the constellation Draco in the northern sky. The shower produces about five meteors per hour at its peak. Its meteors come from comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner.
The Orionids run from October 2 to November 7. They peak on October 21 and 22. This shower is debris from the famous Halley’s Comet, which will not return until 2061. At its peak, skywatchers can see about 20 meteors per hour. The best viewing is in the hours before sunrise.
The showers arrive during World Space Week, observed from October 4 to 10. Saturn reached opposition on October 4, making it the year’s best view of the ringed planet.
The Moon will be near Mars and Jupiter before sunrise on October 5 and 6. A new Moon on October 10 will bring dark skies for deep-sky viewing.
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