{"id":632483,"date":"2026-10-16T14:20:10","date_gmt":"2026-10-16T14:20:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/632483\/"},"modified":"2026-10-16T14:20:10","modified_gmt":"2026-10-16T14:20:10","slug":"look-up-celestial-events-to-watch-in-maine-this-october","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/632483\/","title":{"rendered":"Look up! Celestial events to watch in Maine this October"},"content":{"rendered":"

We are halfway through October, and there are still plenty of celestial events to look forward to this month that you won’t want to miss.<\/p>\n

First up is the Orionid meteor shower, which will bring the chance to catch shooting stars streaking across the night sky. <\/p>\n

Later in the month, the full moon will offer another opportunity to look up and take in the sights. Here’s when to look for these celestial events and what you need to know to catch the best views.<\/p>\n

\"Orionid<\/p>\n

Orionid meteor shower (WGME).<\/p>\n

The Orionid meteor shower is an annual event that takes place each October and continues into early November.<\/p>\n

This year, the shower is expected to peak overnight from October 21 into the early morning hours of October 22. <\/p>\n

Under ideal viewing conditions, you could see up to 20 meteors per hour streaking across the sky.<\/p>\n

\"Orionid<\/p>\n

Orionid meteor shower (WGME).<\/p>\n

To get the best view of the meteor shower, you’ll want to find a spot away from city lights. The darker the sky, the better your chances of spotting multiple meteors per hour.<\/p>\n

You’ll also want to familiarize yourself with the constellation Orion, which is recognizable by its distinctive belt made up of three bright stars, with a sword hanging just below it.<\/p>\n

The meteors will appear to radiate from a point just north of Orion, so keep your eyes on that part of the sky. However, meteors can streak across any part of the sky, so looking at the wider night sky can help you catch more of the show. They will be moving very fast at 41 miles per hour.<\/p>\n

\"Halley's<\/p>\n

The Orionid meteor shower originates from Halley’s Comet, a periodic comet that travels through the inner solar system about every 75 to 76 years.<\/p>\n

Halley’s Comet was last visible from Earth in February 1986 and is expected to return in July 2061.<\/p>\n

As comets travel through the solar system, they leave behind trails of dust and debris – a “cosmic highway”. When Earth passes through this material, the tiny particles enter our atmosphere and burn up, creating the bright streaks of light we know as meteors.<\/p>\n

\"October's<\/p>\n

October’s full Hunters Moon (WGME).<\/p>\n

Later this month, we’ll be treated to October’s full moon, known as the Hunter’s Moon.<\/p>\n

The full moon will reach its peak on October 26, offering another opportunity to get outside and enjoy the night sky.<\/p>\n

The Hunter’s Moon gets its name from the time of year when hunters traditionally prepared for the colder months ahead. After crops were harvested in early fall, the open fields made it easier to spot animals, while the bright moonlight provided extra visibility for hunting.<\/p>\n

Whether you’re hoping to catch a few shooting stars or take in the glow of the full moon, there are still plenty of reasons to look up at the night sky this October. Just remember to find a spot away from bright city lights for the best viewing experience!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"We are halfway through October, and there are still plenty of celestial events to look forward to this…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":632484,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[111,139,69,147,392],"class_list":["post-632483","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-space","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-science","tag-space"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/632483","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=632483"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/632483\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/632484"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=632483"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=632483"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=632483"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}