The Orionids meteor shower will blaze through the sky tonight, hitting the peak of its dazzling, month-long show.
The shower is caused by dust leftover from Halley’s Comet. As earth passes through Halley’s leftover debris, small pieces of dust burn up in the atmosphere, creating the “shooting stars” we see on earth.
Tonight’s peak activity will see about 20 shooting stars streak across the sky per hour.
The sad news for stargazers is that Kelowna’s weather is unlikely to cooperate: Environment Canada says skies will be partly cloudy overnight, with a 60 per cent chance of showers.
Nevertheless, there should still be plenty of opportunity to catch the dazzling show before it ends. The Orionids began Oct. 2 and will last until Nov. 7, so even though you might not be able to catch it at its peak, you should still have plenty of time.
For the best viewing experience, head out of the city to somewhere dark: as dark as you can find. Wrap up in a warm blanket and point yourself towards the constellation Orion.
Many of the Orionids’ shooting stars will appear to radiate from the constellation, so hunker down just after dusk or just after midnight and stare towards Orion.
We at KelownaNow recommend heading to Spotted Lake for one of the best viewing experiences in the valley.
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