Though we all have differences, there’s one commonality that has prevailed for all of humanity: we are all floating on a rock, flying through outer space at over a million miles an hour.
Thanks to the rapid advancement of technology in the past century, we can observe much more of the universe than we ever thought possible.
The scale and sheer size of the universe make it impossible to truly learn everything, but it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try.
Here's what's happening in space this week.
The Orionid meteor shower is back to light up the sky this month, and we have none other than Halley's Comet to thank.
The annual meteor shower occurs every Fall, running from the end of September through the end of November. The expected peak of the Orionid meteors is October 21.
The Orionid meteors that dazzle our night sky actually come from Halley's Comet, a comet that completes an orbit around the Sun every 76 years.
As the comet hurls through the cosmos at over 122,000 mph, it leaves behind dust particles that collide with Earth's atmosphere at around 40 mph. The Orionids are relatively fast for meteors, which means some may be faint. However, the speed can also increase the train, the gas remnants that are left behind following the meteor.
How can you see the Orionid meteor shower?
Annual meteor showers are named after the point of the sky from which they appear to radiate, according to EarthSky.org. This means the famous Orion the Hunter constellation is where you'll want to look to find the radiant.
The best hours for viewing are between midnight and dawn.
For best viewing, go to the darkest possible location and allow your eyes to adjust for 30 minutes. You do not need equipment to see the meteor shower.
With the Orionid meteor shower, there is little predictability. So, it is likely that you will see meteors from all directions. If you follow the trail of a meteor, however, you might find it came from the radiant point near Orion the Hunter.
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