Orionid Meteor Shower 2011

The Orionid Meteor Shower peaks for the next two mornings, October 21 and 22, as the Earth passes through a debris stream left by Halley's Comet. Like all annual meteor showers, the Orionids occur at the same time each year because the Earth, in its 365-day trip around the Sun, passes through areas of increased debris, leading to a much more focused period of time with meteors flying into Earth's atmosphere and creating those beautiful streaks of light that magically light the sky for a moment and then vanish without a trace.

The name Orionids tells us that the meteors in this shower appear to emanate from the constellation Orion, the beautiful winter sky constellation. But like the best meteors in any shower, you won't see Orion until after midnight as it rises out of the east. Meteor showers are best observed between midnight and sunrise, when you are viewing meteors entering our atmosphere on the 'front face' of the Earth. Given that sunrise is quite late this time of year, take advantage of that and get up just ahead of dawn's light, around 6:15 in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Image courtesy of Earth Sky.