Enjoy the Orionid Meteor shower until November 7

The Orionid meteor shower, caused by debris from Halley’s Comet, has been underway since the arrival of the new moon and will continue until November 7.

It offers stargazers an excellent opportunity to see up to 20 shooting stars per hour without interference from moonlight. Some meteors even leave bright lingering streaks in the sky, known as ‘trains.’

The best viewing is typically after midnight or in the early pre-dawn hours from a spot away from city lights.

Halley’s Comet passes near Earth only once every 75 years, but the debris it leaves behind creates two major meteor showers each year. James Paulson from Sunridge Observatory and the Medicine Hat Astronomy Club adds more details on what to expect during this year’s display.

According to Meteor Shower Calendar 2025-26 of American Meteor Society, the Meteor Data Center of the International Astronomical Union lists over 900 suspected meteor showers of which about 100 are well established.