The 2011 Orionid meteor shower is on its way, and scientists say it’s expected to peak just before dawn on Oct. 21 and 22, otherwise known as Friday and Saturday of this week.
The Orionids occur each October as the Earth passes through a trail of dust left by Halley’s comet. When one of those dust particles — about the size of a grain of sand — enters Earth’s atmosphere, it excites the air molecules through which it passes, causing them to give off light.
The annual shower has been dubbed the Orionids because the meteors appear to be emanating from the constellation Orion.
"It’s not going to knock your socks off this year, but if you are out in the desert or up in the mountains, it is certainly worth a look," Don Yeomans, manager of NASA’s Near-Earth Object Program Office said.