Did you miss the much chronicled Perseids meteor shower this past August? You have until November 7 to catch yet another sky-watching event: the Orionid meteor shower—but beware: the shower will peak tonight.
Made of debris of ice and dust left behind by Comet Halley (which visits Earth every 75 years or so), the shower is expected to produce about 25 meteors per hour at its peak which, according to scientists, will be tonight through early tomorrow morning.
"The Orionids are one of the top five meteor showers of the year and will bring the best chance to see a shooting star since the Perseids meteor shower in August," said Brian Lada, a meteorologist at AccuWeather.
However, given the pollution and cloud coverage that is currently taking over much of the country's skies, it might be difficult to witness the shooting stars. According to Lada, folks in the Plains and the southwestern part of the United States will enjoy the best viewing conditions.
How to maximize your chances of seeing the shooting stars? Find a spot that allows you to gaze into as much sky as possible (dark areas in the countryside and parks away from city lights are best, according to AccuWeather)—you'll want to consult this light pollution map when selecting your ideal viewing area.
Other tips and facts to keep in mind: use a red-light flashlight to preserve night vision; your eyes will take about 45 minutes to completely adjust to the spectacle; if you absolutely must capture the moment on your phone, use a long exposure camera app; avoid looking at the moon directly; for optimal viewing, lay down on your back and gaze straight up at the sky.
Not a fan of the outdoors at night? Slooh Online Observatory will be streaming the entire phenomenon right here.
If you happen to miss tonight's event, mark your calendar for December 2016, when the Geminids, the best meteor shower of the year (think 120 meteors per hour!), is set to occur.