Orionid meteors decorate the sky on this date | ArabiaWeather

Arabian Weather – Astronomy enthusiasts in the northern hemisphere will witness one of the most important astronomical phenomena, as the Orionid meteors will appear this evening, Sunday October 20, with their peak in the hours before sunrise sun, Monday October 21.

Orionid meteors

Professor of Astronomy at the National Institute of Astronomical and Geophysical Research in Egypt, Dr. Ashraf Tadros, said that Orionids are considered medium-sized meteor showers, as the number of meteors can reach around 20 meteors per hour at their peak.

Tadros explained on his page on the social network “Facebook” that these meteors result from the penetration of the Earth into the remains of dust from Halley’s comet. These remnants enter the Earth’s atmosphere and burn, leading to the appearance of meteors.

Best viewing locations

Dr. Ashraf Tadros confirmed that the best places to view Orionid meteors will be in completely dark locations, away from city lights, especially after midnight. He pointed out that the meteors will appear as if they are coming from the constellation Orion, hence the name, but could appear anywhere else in the sky.

Reasons for the appearance of meteors

The astronomy professor explained that annual meteor showers occur when the Earth passes through dense clumps of dust and stones scattered along the orbits of comets and asteroids as it rotates around the sun. When these particles hit the top of Earth’s atmosphere, they burn up at an altitude of 70 to 100 kilometers, causing them to appear as a streak of light, which causes meteor showers that occur every year.

Peak hours

Dr. Tadros confirmed that the appearance of these meteors does not pose any danger to humans or their daily activities, since the meteors burn in the atmosphere at an altitude of more than 70 kilometers from the Earth’s surface. Watching it is therefore an enjoyable experience for astronomy enthusiasts and those interested in space science.

For its part, the Jeddah Astronomical Society explained in a statement on its official Facebook page that the peak of Orionid meteors will coincide with the presence of the Moon in the waning gibbous phase, which could obscure most of the faint meteors. This year. year. However, a few bright meteors can be spotted.

The best meteor displays are expected to occur at 5 a.m. local time Monday, when their radiant point is high in the sky toward the southern horizon.

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