A Moonless Sky Means the Best Meteor Shower of the Year Is Here

If you love stargazing, tonight’s your night. The Orionid Meteor Shower is reaching its peak, and the universe is ready to put on a light show that could feature as many as 20 bright meteors per hour.

With the new moon phase keeping the sky dark, these meteors will be easier to see than usual. That means even casual skywatchers might spot several shooting stars from their backyard.

According to NASA, the Orionids are made of leftover dust from Halley’s Comet, one of the most famous comets in history. Every October, Earth moves through its trail, and tiny bits of debris enter our atmosphere at blazing speeds. As they burn up, they create those fast, glowing streaks across the sky that people have been watching for centuries.

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