Hunter’s moon, Orionids meteor shower light up the sky this week

The sky is lighting up this week with two special celestial events!

News 12 Staff

Oct 19, 2021, 1:57 PM

Updated 1,083 days ago

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The sky is lighting up this week with two special celestial events!
On Wednesday we can see a full moon! According to Sea and Sky, this full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Hunter’s Moon because at this time of year the leaves are falling and the game is fat and ready to hunt.
The Orionids Meteor shower is also set to light up the sky this week with up to 20 meteors per hour at its peak.
It is produced by dust grains left behind by Halley’s Comet, which has been known and observed since ancient times.
The shower runs annually from Oct. 2 to Nov. 7, according to Sea and Sky, but it peaks this year on the night of Oct. 21 and the morning of Oct. 22.
The full moon and possible cloudy skies overnight may be a problem this year for the Orionids. The moon’s glare will block out all but the brightest meteors.
Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Orion, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
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