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October 18, 2023 - 6:00 AM
The Orionids meteor shower is underway and reaches its peak this weekend.
Skywatchers in Kamloops and the Okanagan can expect to see roughly 20 meteors streak across the night sky every hour depending on the weather.
The Orionids meteor shower can be seen when Earth passes through the debris, ice and dust left by Halley's Comet, and can be observed every fall. The other meteor shower caused by the same comet debris is the Eta Aquarids, which are active in May. Halley's Comet takes 76 years to move around the Sun, so will not be visible from Earth again until 2061, according to Time and Date.
The Orionids are named after the constellation Orion as they appear to radiate from the same spot in the sky and can be see in both hemispheres.
While the meteor shower is active until Nov. 22, its peak is Saturday, Oct. 21.
The moon will be 37% illuminated at the time of the peak, making for good viewing conditions, according to Space.com, but a big factor is the weather.
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Cloudy periods are expected overnight in Kamloops and throughout the Okanagan on Saturday.
Viewers might want to bundle up while they wait for clear sky opportunities with overnight temperatures predicted to be 5 Celsius. The best viewing conditions are away from city light pollution.
If you get a good photo of the Orionid meteor shower and want to share, send it to news@infonews.ca.
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