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BOSTON (WBZNewsRadio) - You'll want to make time to look up tonight. People around the world will get the chance to see the Orionid meteor shower appearing like "shooting stars" across the night sky.
The Orionid meteor shower gets it's name from it's proximity to the constellation Orion, which Thursday into Friday night will sit in the southeastern sky after midnight. That's when the shower will peak in all it's glory. To catch a glimpse of the show, you won't necessarily have to face southwestern, but make sure you have a clear view of the sky and the least amount of artificial light around. Luckily this year, there will be a waning crescent moon rising in the early hours, which means nothing too bright that could take away from the shower.
"These meteors are fragments of dust left behind by Comet Halley, in a trail that extends along it's orbit. They tend to be bright and fast moving and they often leave persistent trails that glow in the sky as they streak by." Preston Dykes, NASA's Public Engagement Specialist said.
Halley's Comet passes by our solar system every 76 years. It was last here in 1986 and will make it's next appearance in 2061.
WBZ's Brooke McCarthy (@BrookeWBZ) reports
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