Stargazers could be in for a treat this week as the annual Orionid meteor shower will be visible across Aotearoa skies.
The Orionid meteor shower occurs when Earth passes through a trail of debris left behind by Halley’s comet each October.
This year it would be peak on the night of Wednesday, October 21 and the early morning of Thursday, October 22, according to Te Whatu Stardome.
The Orionids peak every October and in New Zealand it was active throughout the month.
The peak however, would occur overnight between Wednesday and Thursday, Stardome said.
The best time to watch from Auckland would be during pre-dawn hours, it said, especially after the moon sets.
In ideal conditions the Orionids could produce about 10-20 meteors per hour, Stardome said, but this year’s bright moon would make some of the fainter meteors harder to see.
For the best chance of spotting the shower, Stardome said people should find a dark location away from city lights.
“After the moon sets, look up towards the northeast and across the wider sky. Although the meteors appear to come from the direction of Orion, they can streak across almost any part of the sky.”
The meteors should be visible to the naked eye, but you may need to be patient and wait up to half an hour to see them.