When and where to view the peak brightness

A spectacular celestial display will soon be visible. The Orionid meteor shower, which is known to produce fireballs on occasion, is expected to peak overnight Monday, according to EarthSky.

Recognized for their speed and brightness, the Orionids, according to NASA, are among the most brilliant meteors of the year. The meteors, per the American Meteor Society, are active annually from around Oct. 2 to Nov. 7 and can each streak up to 148,000 mph.

Here’s what to know ahead of the Orionid meteor shower’s 2025 appearance.

What is the Orionid meteor shower?

Named after the constellation Orion because it originates in the same part of the sky, the Orionid meteor shower is a yearly celestial event that occurs when Earth passes through the debris left over from comet 1P/Halley, per NASA.

Each October, Earth passes through the “inbound” stream of debris generated by Halley’s Comet, which produces the Orionid meteor shower. The “outbound” stream of this debris trail produces the Eta Aquariids every spring, according to the American Meteor Society. The Orionid meteor shower, the American Meteor Society adds, is generally of medium strength. It typically produces 15 to 20 meteors an hour at maximum under dark skies.

When does the Orionid peak, and what can I expect to see?

NASA has a different timetable for the Orionids; it says they are expected to peak overnight Wednesday. They are viewable in both the northern and southern hemispheres in the hours following midnight, specifically from 1 a.m. to dawn in your local time zone, per the American Meteor Society.

Because of how fast they move, the Orionids leave ionized gas trails in the sky that persist for a few seconds after the meteor itself has passed. Unlike other showers, however, the Orionids aren’t very colorful and usually appear as white streaks of light, per EarthSky.

Where’s the best place to view the Orionid meteor shower?

This year’s viewing conditions are expected to be excellent in most areas, per the American Meteor Society, because the new moon on Oct. 21 “ensures dark skies with no lunar interference during the early morning hours.” Cloud cover and city lights are the only foreseeable obstacles. A dark location away from city lights will give the best chance to spot the Orionids.