Community Corner

Last Weekend for 2013 Orionid Meteor Shower

See it before it's gone—NASA considers it one of the most beautiful meteor showers of the year.

Written by Todd Richissin and Bea Karnes

The Orionid meteor shower is sending chunks of rock hurtling through earth’s atmosphere.  We’re on the waning edge of the shower. The last date to see them this year is Nov. 7.

According to NASA, "The Orionids...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."

Find out what's happening in Los Altoswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Remnants from this shower come from Halley's Comet

Fast Facts on the Orionids from Earthsky.org.

Find out what's happening in Los Altoswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 

Also on Patch:


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Los Altos