Tonight, the Orionids open their active season, giving you a first chance to watch a shower that builds toward its October 21 peak.
What to see
- Orionids: The Royal Observatory lists October 2 through November 7 as the shower’s active dates, with its maximum on October 21. Look across the whole sky, not only toward Orion. Meteors can appear well away from their radiant, and longer trails are more likely 45 to 90 degrees from it. At the peak, up to 15 meteors per hour may be visible to the naked eye. Tonight begins the season, so keep expectations gentle. See the Observatory’s viewing notes.
- Early evening: Sunset is about 6:42 p.m. Eastern in Allentown, while the waning gibbous Moon rises around 10:47 p.m. That leaves just over four hours after sunset before moonlight arrives. Let your eyes wander across a wide patch of sky while you wait, then watch the Moon come up later. Check Allentown’s sunset and moonrise times.
Moon note: Waning gibbous, about 63% illuminated, rising around 10:47 p.m. Eastern in Allentown. Timeanddate’s phase calendar confirms the waning gibbous phase.
Wrap up warm, get comfortable, and enjoy the quiet before the Moon brightens the sky. For more simple backyard sky notes, sign up for the NOOMMED newsletter.