There are 10 major meteor showers each year. The Orionids are on the morning of Oct. 22. There could be 30 to 40 meteors per hour but most are faint, and due to our light pollution and the waning crescent moon, many will be tough to see. The radiant for these meteors (where they seem to originate) is near Betelgeuse in Orion. They are dust in the path of Comet Halley. When it enters the atmosphere, it ionizes the air, causing the glowing streak we see. From 3 a.m. to dawn is a good time to observe. Find a dark place, away from lights. Give your eyes 30 minutes to adjust to the dark, pick your favorite constellation or piece of sky, and sit back and watch. Do not use any lights or flashlights.
We are in the process of reopening the observatory. We plan for November to be our grand reopening, but we will only be able to have a limited number of visitors and reservations and face masks will be required.
