Meteors result from particles of dust causing the atmosphere to glow as the particles enter the upper atmosphere of the Earth.  The Orionid (pronounced Or-ē-ō’-nid) Meteors, or “Orionids,” are associated with Comet Halley.  This comet, undoubtedly the most famous comet of them all, has been observed at least since 240 BC.  But it wasn’t until 1705 that Edmund Halley realized that a number of bright comets that had appeared every 76 years throughout history were actually a single comet returning periodically as it orbits the Sun.  As Halley’s Comet revolves around the Sun, it gives off gases and dust particles due to the heat of the Sun.  While the gases eventually are dispersed throughout space, the dust particles remain as a trail of debris in the path of the comet.  Since the Earth encounters this trail of debris at the same point in space each time it makes its annual revolution around the Sun, we observe the Orionids on the same date each year, around October 21. 

As with all meteor showers, the Orionids are best observed between midnight and dawn from a clear, dark location with a good horizon.  In 2008 the Orionids are predicted to reach a peak of about twenty meteors per hour at midnight EDT on Monday-Tuesday, October 20-21.  This shower generally lasts for about two days; so one should expect to see Orionids each morning from the 19th through the 23rd.  Unfortunately, the Moon will be at last quarter phase on the morning of the 21st so moonlight will interfere with observations of the fainter meteors this year.  However, give it a try and look high in the east to find the meteors appearing to radiate out the area at the tip of the club of the constellation of Orion the hunter, near the feet of Gemini the twins.  Binoculars or telescopes are not needed to observe meteors.

Incidentally, PARI’s Homeschool Day on November 21 will have the theme “Comets and Meteors.”  For more information go to www.pari.edu or call 828-862-5554.

About PARI
PARI is a not-for-profit foundation established in 1998.  Located in the Pisgah Forest southwest of Asheville, NC, PARI offers educational programs at all levels, from K-12 through post-graduate research.  The institute is affiliated with the 16-campus University of North Carolina system through PARSEC, a UNC Center hosted at PARI, and is a member of the NC Grassroots Museum Collaborative.  For more information about PARI and its programs, visit www.pari.edu.