The 2013 Orionid meteor shower peaks on Monday. The weather's supposed to be good, but a pesky bright moon may get in the way.
There's good news and bad news for Salem and the dates for the Orionid meteor shower 2013 peak.
The good news: The forecast for Sunday and Monday, when the Orionid meteor shower peaks, is great. Clear skies and no rain.
The bad news: The moon will be bright, which will obscure many of the Orionids meteors in what is typically one of the busier showers of the year.
Already, the meteor shower is underway, just not with the same numbers as the peak, and it'll continue until about Nov. 7.
From NASA on the Orionids:
The Orionids, which peak during mid-October each year, are considered to be one of the most beautiful showers of the year. Orionid meteors are known for their brightness and for their speed. These meteors are fast -- they travel at about 148,000 mph (66 km/s) into the Earth's atmosphere. Fast meteors can leave glowing "trains" (incandescent bits of debris in the wake of the meteor) that last for several seconds to minutes. Fast meteors can also sometimes become fireballs: Look for prolonged explosions of light when viewing the Orionid meteor shower.
Remnants from this shower, as well as the Eta Aquarids in May, come from Halley's Comet.
Fast Facts on the Orionids from Earthsky.org:
Comet of Origin: 1P/Halley
Radiant: Just to the north of constellation Orion's bright star Betelgeuse
Active: 2 Oct. - 7 Nov. 2013
Peak Activity: 20-21 Oct. 2013
Peak Activity Meteor Count: Approximately 20 meteors per hour in moonless skies.
Meteor Velocity: 66 km (41 miles) per second
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