Orionid meteor shower to light up night sky Wednesday
By IANSTuesday, October 20, 2009
NEW DELHI - Sky gazers will witness fireworks in the night sky as Orionid meteor showers peak Wednesday.
Look at the night sky past midnight and you will be able see dozens of meteors per hour.
“It is an annual affair but this time due to the new moon, meteor showers can be observed with the naked eye,” said N. Rathnasree, director of Nehru Planetarium.
Rathnasree said the meteor showers can be observed during the week but will peak on Wednesday.
Orionid showers originate when the Earth passes through a stream of dusty debris from Halley’s Comet. The meteor shower gets its name as it appears to radiate from near the Orion constellation.
For the past three years, Orionid rates have been unusually high, with reports of 60 or more meteors per hour. Researchers believe this is a result of some very old and rich debris from Comet Halley drifting across Earth’s orbit.
