Meteor shower October 2009

In the clear night sky tonight you will find a meteor shower. October 2009 brought back the Orionid Meteor Shower that we last saw when Ronald and Nancy Reagan lived in the White House.

It is called the Orionids because the meteors come from the constellation called Orion. Orion mean the Hunter. It is said the swarm of stars is easy to spot, shaped like an hourglass. Halley's comet is the culprit, leaving a trail of debris in its path that can be seen in the night sky. If it is clear and warm where you live, I would head out to the hills to watch this spectacular event.

The last time Halley's comet flew buy was 1986. And we don't expect to see Halley again until July 28, 2061. I don't know about you, but I won't exactly be young when it returns. They are saying this meteor shower will produce 20 to 25 meteors an hour. And this is actually expected to go on for a few nights so if you can't get out tonight, get out tomorrow. And it doesn't matter where you live.

They are saying this meteor shower is visible from anywhere in the world, as long as you have a clear sky. The best time of night is the same worldwide, locally just after midnight. What a great date idea! Go to a dark spot away from the city lights and let your eyes adjust. No need for binoculars, just look up. A reclining chair or a blanket is a necessary accessory. At this time of year, many areas around the world are cooler or down right freezing s so a coat is also probably warranted.

Once a few years ago, we went out into the hills. There were many of us friends that decided to do this together. It was a warm summer night and the talk was all about the meteor shower. We started with a barbecue hot dog dinner on a little individual grill. We didn't want to start a fire because it would make it harder to see the stars, we thought. Little did we know what we were in for. We laid a blanket in the back of the truck and counted hundreds of falling stars.

The skies were alight with the meteor shower that night. It wouldn't have mattered if we had built a giant bonfire, we would not have been able to miss the lit night sky. There were some smaller children in our group and they were fascinated. This is a great family activity as well as a great date idea. It can open the door to lessons with children of the stars and planets. Who knows where it will lead. Maybe encourage some little astronomers. It was a memory I will never forget.