Meteor Shower Spawned By Halley’s Comet Will Peak Over The Weekend

A big celestial light show is underway as the Orionid meteor shower will reach its peak over the weekend. The Orionids are named after their source of origin in the constellation Orion (The Hunter). Historically, the Orinoid meteor shower has produced an average of 20 meteors per hour at its peak but it has been especially active in recent years.

The Orinoid meteor shower is one of two annual celestial events produced by pieces of the tail of Halley’s Comet. The other meteor shower from this source is called the Eta Aquarids and peaks every spring. Halley’s Comet returns to our solar system every 75 and is one of the largest–and certainly most famous–comets in existence. Halley’s comet last appeared in the mid 1980′s and is expected to return in 2061. Halley’s Comet is named after English astronomer Edmond Halley who originally spotted it and determined the timetable for its return. When it returned on schedule it was named ‘Halley’s comet’ as a posthumous honor.

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