Star gazers and watchers of the sky will be in for a treat when the Orionid meteor shower occurs. This shower will come complete with two visible comets accompanying it, a rare and special sight that will be viewed over most parts of America, but best in certain states away from the “light pollution” associated with city regions.

The spectacle that is the Orionid meteor shower

You might be familiar with Halley’s Comet, a magnificent feature of our solar system that passes by the Earth regularly, as far as time is concerned, when it comes to space. The last time Halley’s Comet visited us was in 1986, and she won’t be back again until 2061. However, this dazzling comet leaves a shimmering trail in its wake from which the Orionid meteor shower is born and can be enjoyed in our skies every year in October.

The fragments of this trail heat up upon entry into Earth’s atmosphere, blazing across the sky at mind-boggling speeds. Sometimes these fragments are moving at nearly 148,000 miles per hour. When these fragments shatter in our atmosphere, shooting stars are born, and this annual celestial show commences.

Where and when you can enjoy the Orionid meteor shower

Astronomers are of the notion that this year’s Orionid meteor shower will reach a peak in the early hours of October 21, 2025. Conditions permitting, gazers could be able to see 25 of these stunning meteors per hour. These emanate from Orion’s constellation, just above the star of Betelgeuse, a region referred to as Orion’s Club is where this spectacle picks up steam.

This shower is best known for the glowing streaks that can be seen after a meteor passes, which seem to lag for just a few moments. Smoldering trails of beauty keep gazers enamored with the Orionid meteor shower. So, where might be the best places in the United States to view this phenomenon? Naturally, places with dark skies that are not marred by the bright glow of city lights are the best places to be. The areas of Arizona in America’s Southwest, Sedona, and the epic regions of the Grand Canyon National Park are cited as the best spots to enjoy the Orionid meteor shower.

In the north, Pennsylvania is a good place to be to enjoy the show. Cherry Springs State Park and Michigan’s Headlands International Dark Sky Park are also prime real estate when it comes to witnessing the Orionid meteor shower.

If you find yourself in a more easterly region, near New York, then the Adirondack Mountains are perfect for you. If you venture away from city centers like Boston, then even those in Massachusetts will be treated to the show, live from space.

The comets that accompany the Orionid meteors

This year, the headlining act will be joined by two guest stars in the night sky. 13P/Olbers and C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-Atlas) will be visible, albeit faintly, which will add to the joys this shower will bring for gazers. Again, darker areas will provide the perfect conditions to view these comets, which will be easy enough to see through binoculars and small telescopes.

C/2023 A3 burns more brightly the closer it gets to the Earth, which has watchers of the sky immensely excited. At the point where it is closest to our planet, a radiant tail can be seen streaking behind it.

Contemplations of the universe and our place in it

The Orionid meteor shower and the comets it will be joined by this year serve as a reminder of just how vast our universe is. The vastness our planet travels through and how far some of these meteors journey before intersecting with us, even just for a couple of hours.

It is more than a moment of scientific jubilation, but a one for contemplation and perhaps the appreciation we should all have to be able to witness the wonders of nature. Be sure to take a moment and enjoy the spectacle; the tickets are free, all you need to do is look skyward in the perfect conditions and bask in the splendor of the Orionid meteor shower.