Orionid meteor shower to light up Thai skies October 21-22
Thailand can watch the Orionid meteor shower, created by debris from Halley’s Comet, from late October 21 until dawn on October 22, weather permitting.
Skywatchers across Thailand will have a chance to see the Orionid meteor shower from late October 21 until dawn on October 22, with up to about 20 meteors per hour expected under favourable viewing conditions.
The National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) said the annual meteor shower originates from debris left along the orbit of Halley’s Comet, or 1P/Halley.
As Earth passes through the comet’s trail, small particles enter the atmosphere at high speed and burn up, producing bright streaks of light across the night sky.
Meteors appear to radiate from Orion
The Orionids take their name from their radiant point in the constellation Orion, from which the meteors appear to spread across the sky.
Orion is one of the easier constellations to recognise and is surrounded by several prominent stars, including the orange-red Betelgeuse and blue-white Rigel.
Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, can also be seen nearby in the constellation Canis Major.
The Orionids are expected to reach a peak rate of about 20 meteors per hour.
NASA describes the shower as one of the year’s most beautiful, with meteors known for their brightness and speed. The particles enter Earth’s atmosphere at about 66 kilometres per second.
Best viewed away from city lights
In Thailand, observations can begin from around 10.30pm on October 21 and continue until dawn the following morning.
No telescope is required because the meteors can appear across a wide area of the sky. Viewing with the naked eye provides a wider field of vision.
NARIT recommends finding a dark location away from city lights to improve the chances of seeing fainter meteors.
Open areas, countryside locations and natural attractions with limited artificial lighting are generally more suitable for meteor watching.
The Orionids occur annually as Earth crosses the trail of debris left by Halley’s Comet.
Halley last passed through the inner Solar System in 1986 and is expected to return in 2061.
While the comet itself remains decades away, its debris produces two meteor showers visible from Earth each year: the Eta Aquariids and the Orionids.
