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A bright, beautiful meteor shower to reach its peak this weekend, NASA says


A bright, beautiful meteor shower to reach its peak this weekend, NASA says

From aurora to comets to supermoons, October still has one more celestial event to watch out for in the night sky.

The meteor shower, comprised of ice and dust shed from Halley's Comet, is expected to reach its peak between 12 a.m. and the pre-dawn hours of Oct. 20 and Oct. 21, according to NASA.

Known for their brightness and speed, the Orionids "are considered to be one of the most beautiful meteor showers of the year," the space agency said in a statement.

Skies are expected to be clear on Sunday and Monday, though lows could be in the upper 30s and low 40s on Sunday, and in the 40s and 50s on Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

The meteor shower can be spotted at its radiant point, or the point in the sky from which it appears to come, in the direction of the constellation Orion, NASA said.

But the meteors can be seen blazing across the night sky, reaching speeds of 148,000 mph.

While the Orionids appear each year in mid-October, Halley's Comet holds a wider berth when it comes to completing its orbit around the sun, NASA stated.

Named after, and discovered by, astronomer Edmond Halley in 1705, the comet makes a 76-year orbit. It was last seen in 1986. So there's still another 37 years until people can expect to see Halley's Comet in the night sky.

Along with the Orionids, debris from Halley's Comet also produces another meteor shower earlier in the year, according to NASA.

The Eta Aquarid meteor shower is typically seen in May.

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