The Northern skies will be lit up tonight as a world-famous meteor shower passes overhead.
The Orionid meteor shower appears in our skies once a year as planet earth passes through a trail of debris left by the “most famous comet in the world”.
And a leading expert has said the meteor shower – which is visible to the naked eye – will peak on Wednesday evening.
Terry Moseley, from the Irish Astronomical Association, told Belfast Live today that the meteor shower becomes visible when the earth “passes through a trail of debris left behind by Comet Halley, which is the most famous comet in the world.
“Around October 21st, the Earth passes through a trail of debris of little bits and dirt as it orbits around the sun,” he said.
“When the earth collides with those, they rush into the atmosphere at a very high speed. They get burned away in a flash of light – that's what a meteor is.
These flashes of light, Moseley explained, “are called the Orionids because they appear to come from the constellation of Orion – not in the middle of the constellation but up at the top left corner of the very famous star Betelgeuse."
The meteors won't just appear from that area. They can appear from anywhere in the night sky, so people should direct their eyes to the clearest and darkest area in their vicinity.
He urged those particularly keen to see the meteor shower clearly to “go away from big cities or towns.
“Get away from the street lights to somewhere that is dark enough.
“We also live in hope that the forecast will be clear enough to make it out.”
The Orionids are known all over the world – NASA has said they’re thought to be one of the most beautiful showers of the year.
“Orionid meteors are known for their brightness and for their speed,” NASA said.
“Look for prolonged explosions of light when viewing the Orionid meteor shower.”
On more practical matters, Moseley told Belfast Live it’s “important that people remember to wrap up warm from head-to-toe.
“It might be worth getting a lounger or recliner of some sort in order to be comfortable when looking for the shower,” said the astronomy ace.
Keep your eyes peeled, folks.
