Patient skywatchers on Sunday morning are in for a treat with the Orionid Meteor Shower. Around 5 a.m. the meteors appear to emanate from the constellation Orion which sits high in the south. Up to 25 sand grain sized pieces from the debris field from Comet Halley's tail may enter our planet's upper atmosphere every hour. The shock waves created as they collide with our upper atmosphere's rarefied gases cause their glowing streaks as they enter at nearly 40 miles per second.
Try not to observe before 2 a.m. because the bright gibbous moon hasn't set yet. Its light washes out the sky, blocking the fainter meteor streaks.
Dress warmly!
Such is our view from Earth...
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