Each October, Earth drifts through debris left behind by Halley’s Comet — and out of that celestial dust comes the Orionid meteor shower. 

These meteors are among the fastest you’ll see, blazing into our atmosphere at about 66 kilometers per second. 

Because of that speed, Orionid meteors often leave glowing trails or “trains” that linger for seconds or even minutes after the flash. 

In 2025, the Orionids are active from October 2 to November 7 with the peak expected October 21–22, and conditions are particularly favorable this year — the moon will be new around the peak, meaning darker skies and better visibility. 

VIEWING TIPS

• Find a dark, open spot away from streetlights.

• Look toward the constellation Orion in the eastern sky and keep your gaze slightly to the side of it. Meteors can appear anywhere, but many will seem to stream from that direction.

• Lie back or use a reclining chair so you can take in as much sky as possible.

• Give your eyes 20–30 minutes to adjust, and avoid looking at your phone screen.