Get ready stargazers! The Orionid meteor shower peaks next week overnight on Oct. 20-21, bringing with it a flurry of spectacular 'shooting stars' to brighten a blissfully dark moonless sky.
The Orionid meteor shower is active from Oct. 2 to Nov. 7. It occurs when Earth barrels through the trail of debris shed by Halley's Comet as it makes its 76-year orbital tour of the solar system. Orionid 'shooting stars' arise when ancient comet particles collide with our planet at speeds of roughly 41 miles per second (66 kilometers per second), burning up in a magnificent display as they are overwhelmed by friction.
