Watch the Orionid Meteor Shower Tonight [VIDEO]
Be on the look out tonight for a dazzling display in space, and one you won't likely see for another four decades. The Orionid Meteor Shower will allow fans in the northern and southern hemispheres to see up to 30 meteors per hour, and it's pretty much the championship playoff game for star gazers. If you've ever wanted to see actual shooting stars, this is your chance. Although the meteors will be visible tonight (Tuesday, October 20) for peak performance, you can also catch some tomorrow night as well.
The moon will be dim enough for you to see the stars streaking across the sky, and they will be doing so each night through the beginning of November. And if you're wondering where those shooting stars are coming from, they are made up of a debris path in the solar system of Halley's Comet remnants. The Earth's most famous comet only makes an appearance every 75 or so years, by the way.
According to NASA, the Orionid meteors travel at about 148,000 mph and are known for their speed. Space.com says "The meteor shower gets its name from its radiant, which is the point in the sky from which the streaks appear to emanate. The Orionid radiant is located near the constellation Orion, the hunter, next to the warrior's lifted arm."
For details on when, where and how to best see the spectacular show in the sky, check out this article from Space.com and see the video from KTNV TV in Las Vegas below.
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