RIYADH: It is a good time to be a skygazer as the annual Orionids meteor shower is at its peak in the coming hours.
The event, which happens 60 miles up in space, is one of the most impressive displays of the celestial calendar, and is known for being bright and fast.
The Jeddah Astronomy Society said the skies over Saudi Arabia and the Arab region will witness the meteor shower at its peak. It is expected to be clearly visible in the pre-dawn hours when its radiant point is high in the sky toward the southeastern horizon.
Majed Abu Zahra, the director at the JAS, said that the conditions this year were ideal for observation with the moon setting before dawn, allowing for dark skies that will make it easier to spot the shower, which is typically active from Oct. 2 to Nov. 7 each year, peaking for a week around Oct. 22.
He added that the Orionids were considered to be a moderate meteor shower, with around 20 meteors visible per hour from locations away from city lights.
Their source is Halley’s Comet, which will approach its closest point to the sun again in July 2061, and some meteors may leave bright trails visible to the naked eye.
Abu Zahra said that observing the event does not require a telescope or binoculars, only a dark location with a wide horizon. It offers astronomy enthusiasts and families a unique opportunity to witness a spectacular scene in the Kingdom’s night sky.
Amjad Nasser Al-Shafie, a member of the Misbar team which shares astronomy and space-related information, told Arab News he was looking forward to witnessing the event.
He said: “This year’s optimal conditions with moonset before dawn and favorable radiant positioning make the shower’s peak exceptionally promising for observation.
“The shower’s origin from Halley’s Comet, combined with an expected rate of around 20 meteors per hour, offers an excellent opportunity for practical study.”
The Orionids are fast-moving meteors traveling at a speed of about 40 miles per second. They have long streaks of light and originate from Halley’s Comet, which passes Earth roughly every 75 years, with the next date expected to be the summer of 2061.
