March 19, 2024

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Oriónidas 2021

Orionids 2021: How do you see Comet Halley’s meteor shower tonight

The green and blue meteors from the Orionid meteor shower are here and this is the best time to look at them.

every 75 years, Comet Halley It gets close enough to the inner planets of the solar system that it can be seen with the naked eye from Earth. As it approaches the Sun, Halley and the rest of the comets evolve coma (a cloud of dust and gas surrounding the nucleus) and huge cola, which can extend for millions of kilometres.

Hence, in mid-October each year, when Earth’s orbit coincides with the remnants of ice, rock, and dust particles from the last Halley Pass, Orionids appear in the sky Blue and green fireballs that cross the night sky and disappear in a few seconds.

Photo: Getty Images

Best time to observe Orionids

Orionids will peak in the nights and early mornings of October 20, 21 and 22 from 2021.

NSn ideal conditions, it would be possible to observe up to 20 meteors per hour Without the use of any optical instruments such as telescopes or binoculars. Despite the fact that a full moon will accompany meteors in the celestial vault, looking from the other side will help improve the experience.

How do you find Orionids in the night sky?

All meteor showers are named after their radiation, i.e. the region of the celestial vault from which the majority of meteors appear. Hence the Orionids are related to Orion, one of the most popular regions in the northern hemisphere.

Orionid meteor shower
Photo: Getty Images

Although the Orion is easily recognizable by its belt consisting of the stars Alnilam, Alnitak and Montaka in a straight line, the brightness of Betelgeuse (a red giant 1,500 times larger than our sun) and the nebula (M42) in the clearest sky, No need to look at it directly To enjoy the Orionids:

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Just looking for a file the sky is dark Take a comfortable position that allows the widest possible field of view. Like any meteor showers, hunting Orionids requires patience and avoiding any source of light, including those from portable devices.

After spending a few minutes searching in the dark, meteors will begin to distinguish themselves from the rest of the stars. And although it is estimated that the maximum activity will reach about 20 meteors per hour, it is Unpredictable meteor shower, which can lead to short periods of increased activity with bright meteors.

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