A meteor shower will light up the Interior’s sky all weekend

B.C.'s Interior and the rest of Canada will be treated to a stellar meteor shower this weekend.

The Orionid meteor shower will be visible Friday and Saturday night as Earth travels through an area of space littered with debris from Halley’s Comet.

Tonight, the Orionid meteor shower will illuminate our sky, like every year at this time just before Halloween. It happens when the Earth runs into the flow of fragments left by Haley, the most famous of every comets. These meteors are called Orionids because the radiant is located into the Orion constellation, near the club he’s brandishing. So if you can’t sleep tonight, just look up 💫 #orionid #meteor #shower #orionids #orion #constellation #star #shine #space #astro #astronomy #cosmos #universe #galaxy #night #sky #telescope #photo #photography #startrail #startrails #explore #astronaut #nasa #orbit #nature #earth #environment

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"Earth is passing through a stream of debris from Halley's Comet, the source of the Orionids," said NASA's Bill Cooke in a media release. "Bits of comet dust hitting the atmosphere should give us a couple dozen of meteors per hour."

The meteor shower is comprised of fireball meteors, which sounds pretty cool according to the American Society of Meteors:

"Another term for a very bright meteor, generally brighter than magnitude -4, which is about the same magnitude of the planet Venus as seen in the morning or evening sky."

It Starts Tonight! 💫✨🌟💫⭐️ . . The meteor shower is visible throughout October, but it hits its peak on the nights of the 20th and 21st of October. . . That's when it's possible to see between 15 and 30 meteors every hour. . . Even if you don't catch it on those dates, the meteor shower continues until around November 7th. . . The right time to spot the meteors is right before dawn. And, as with any stargazing it's best to be far away from any interfering lights - like streetlamps or house lights. . . For the best view, pack a sleeping bag and lie on your back looking up. . . The Orionid shower is created by debris from Halley's Comet that comes into contact with the Earth every October. . . This is the point in the year when our orbit intersects that of the stream of debris left by the comet and it burns up in our atmosphere - usually at a speed of around 66 kilometers a second. . . Although the comet itself is only visible from Earth every 75 years (the last time was in 1986) it's debris still causes the impressive meteor shower. . . Because the fragments are travelling so fast, they burn up briefly and brightly in the sky. Perfect for stargazers. 💫✨⭐️✨🌟 . . . #stargazing #meteorshower #uk #london #guernsey #jersey #sark #herm #alderney #orionid #orbit #stars #shootingstars #sky #galactic #atmosphere #space #skyporn #mothernature #galacticcenter #beautiful #october #nature

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It’s recommended that you don’t use telescopes or binoculars to view the meteors because those are meant to magnify stationary objects in the sky.

The best time to view the meteor shower is between midnight and dawn on Friday or Saturday night from anywhere on Earth.

The Orionid Meteor Shower Peaks Tonight!

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"Look near Orion's club in the hours before dawn and you may see up to 10 to 15 meteors per hour," NASA's Jane Houston Jones says in a post.

There is a chance of thundershowers tonight according to Environment Canada, but the clouds will likely clear by the time the show starts.

Make sure to tag #kelownanow with your Instagram shot of the Orionid meteor shower!