A Meteor Shower Caused By Halley’s Comet Will Peak Tonight—Here’s How To Watch

Topline

One of the “most beautiful” meteor showers this year will peak tonight, according to NASA, giving viewers a chance to see debris from Halley’s comet, which won’t return to the solar system for nearly 50 years.

Key Facts

The Orionids meteor shower started in late September and will last until Nov. 22, though the event will reach its peak Monday night and continue through Tuesday morning, according to NASA.

The meteor shower originates from Halley’s comet, which sheds ice and dust into space as it returns to the inner solar system, resulting in the Orionids meteor shower in October and the Eta Aquarids in May.

Meteors during the Orionids are known for their brightness and speed, according to NASA, as they travel at about 148,000 miles per hour into Earth’s atmosphere while leaving behind glowing “trains,” or incandescent bits of debris that lasts for several seconds or minutes.

Halley’s comet, discovered in 1705, last appeared in the U.S. in 1986 and won’t be seen again until 2061.

What’s The Best Way To See The Meteor Shower?

No telescopes are required to see the Orionids, while NASA recommends finding an area away from light pollution and lying on your back with your feet facing southeast. While looking up, it will take less than 30 minutes for your eyes to adjust before you can start seeing meteors, according to NASA, which suggests looking for “prolonged explosions of light.”

Where Can I See The Meteor Shower?

The Orionids will be visible after midnight and will likely last until dawn, according to NASA. The agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, will host a livestream of the meteor shower starting at 10 p.m. EDT. If the weather is clear in Huntsville, Orionids will likely be shown as early as 11:30 p.m., the agency said.

Key Background

Celestial events have become visible multiple times in recent weeks. The largest supermoon—about 14% larger than the typical full moon—of the year emerged last week, while two comets remain in the night sky. The Tsuchinshan-ATLAS comet, which NASA estimates won’t become visible from Earth for another 80,000 years, traveled across the sky last week, while the ATLAS comet is expected to reach its closest point to Earth later this week. Escalating activity on the sun’s surface has also increased the likelihood of seeing the northern lights in the U.S., and NASA expects more opportunities through 2025 and into early 2026.

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