Orionid Meteor Shower Peaks Before Dawn on Hilton Head Island

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — Early risers on Hilton Head Island have a shot at one of the prettiest sky shows of the fall, as the Orionid meteor shower reaches its peak overnight into Thursday morning under clear skies.

A bright moon, about 76% lit, was the main obstacle for much of the night. Moonset was expected at about 3:47 a.m. Thursday. With sunrise not until 7:43 a.m., that leaves a stretch of darker sky before dawn for watching.

The meteors are leftover bits of ice and dust shed by Halley’s Comet, which swings through the inner solar system about once every 76 years. Earth plows through that debris each October, and the streaks seem to fan out from the constellation Orion.

NASA says Orionid meteors hit the atmosphere at roughly 41 miles per second, fast enough to leave glowing trails that can hang in the sky for seconds or even minutes, and sometimes to flare into fireballs. Watchers can expect around 10 to 20 meteors an hour.

The space agency suggests getting well away from city or street lights, bringing a blanket or lawn chair, and lying back with your feet pointed southeast, then giving your eyes time to adjust to the dark.