Meteor shower on October 20-21

CEBU, Philippines - The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration - Mactan advises those who want to witness the Orionid Meteor shower to look at the southeastern sky on the night of October 20 until the dawn of October 21 when it would be most clear.

According to meteorologists, the Orionid meteor stream will be encountering the Earth’s surface and will be visible in its greatest numbers on Monday night until Tuesday dawn.

This year is an excellent year for the shower because of the slim crescent moon in the sky during the shower’s peak hours.

The shower is usually at its peak every October and is best seen by those who are in the northern hemisphere part of the globe.

“Sa atoa we have to look towards the southeastern sky and that’s best location to watch the shower,” said Engineer Oscar Tabada, PAGASA Mactan chief.

 “Bright kaayo ni nga shower so bisan tuod cloudy maklaro ra nato,” Tabada added.

There will be around 20 to 25 meteors every hour until 4 a.m.to 5 a.m.

According to the website iTWire.Com, Australia’s independent technology news source, “The Orionids consist of debris left behind from the Comet Halley, which flies around the Sun in its 75- to 76-year orbit. Halley’s Comet also produces the Eta Aquanid meteor shower, which occurs in May each year.

These meteors are seen when they hit the Earth’s upper atmosphere and are vaporized about 60 miles (100 kilometers) above the surface of the Earth.” — (FREEMAN)