Composite photo of the 2008 Orionids Meteor Shower
Ooh! For all you lucky stars outside the rain-filled skies of Portland, the Orionids Meteor Shower will be at its peak this Wednesday (October 21st), about 2 hours before dawn. The new moon coincides perfectly, allowing a dark sky and unusually good viewing conditions this year.
The Orionids occur annually as the Earth's orbit syncs up with the debris left behind by Halley's Comet. Because there's quite a bit of space dust to pass through, the meteor shower should be in your eastward sky view all week long - but the peak on Wednesday is expected to have as many as 20 shooting stars an hour! So grab your blankets, drive outside the city, and open that sunroof for a sweet date with your main squeeze.
Hobbyists say: Binoculars shouldn't be necessary as long as the sky is dark with relatively few clouds. If you're able to see all the stars in the Little Dipper constellation, you've found ideal viewing conditions.
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