Meteor Shower Sky Show

Although Haley’s Comet won’t be back in full force until 2061, if you can get away from the city lights in the San Francisco Bay Area, you should be treated to the Orionid meteor shower the night of October 20, 2012 – an annual nighttime display that’s the result of debris from Halley’s Comet.

The brightest meteors should reach their peak between 11p Saturday and 5:40a Sunday with up to 25 meteors per hour may be spotted if you’re watching dark skies.

Orionid Meteor Shower
Saturday October 20, 2012 (11p to 5:40a)

About The Orionid
The Orionid is caused by pieces of debris left behind by Halley’s Comet. Every year around mid-October, the debris hits the edge of the Earth’s atmosphere, which causes it to burn up and creates the meteor shower we see. The debris is moving really fast — roughly 148,000 mph — and burns up when it hits the atmosphere, causing the flash of light we see. Read more at LA Times