October's Orionid meteor shower: Where and when to see it this weekend in Michigan

October has been a stellar month for celestial events, with comets , a mini-moon , the Draconid meteor shower and the recent supermoon. And now comes the Orionid meteor shower.

The Orionid meteor shower is set to peak this Sunday, when several streaks of meteors could be visible.

The Orionid meteor shower is active each year from about Oct. 2 to Nov. 12, according to the American Meteor Society . This meteor shower is known for its brightness and speed – each meteor can streak up to 148,000 mph.

The Orionid meteor shower should generate a maximum of 10 to 20 meteors an hour under a dark sky without a moon, according to EarthSky.org . But the recent bright hunter's moon supermoon, which occurred on Thursday, may hamper this year's view of the meteor shower, according to BBC Sky at Night magazine .

The ideal day to view the Orionid meteor shower should be Sunday . Its peak activity is expected on Monday morning, according to EarthSly.

Path the Orionid meteors take near Earth

The Orionids, which peak in mid-October each year, are considered to be one of the most beautiful showers of the year, according to NASA.

In what part of the sky can the Orionids be seen?

This Sunday and Monday, start keeping an eye out for Orionid meteors in the very early hours of the morning, starting after midnight and through until dawn.

You can enjoy views of the meteor shower from anywhere in the U.S., weather permitting of course, but it would be best to find an open space where you can gaze up. The best time to see the shower is under a dark, moonless sky, according to EarthSky.org.

According to the American Meteor Society , the best way to view the shower is to lie comfortably on a chair or blanket and lounge back. The American Meteor Society suggests you angle your eyes halfway up to the sky. You should look directly straight up if the horizon where you are is bright, but you will see most meteors in the lower half of the sky.

The Orionids will be the most visible if the skies are clear. The moon will be illuminated at 81% this year at the time of the shower, says MoonPhases.org , which may impair the view.

The next meteor showers in 2024

Where do the Orionid meteors come from?

Halley's comet produced two meteor showers, the first of which is the Eta Aquarids, which occurs each year in May, according to Timeanddate.com . The other meteor shower is the Orionids.

Most meteor showers are named after constellations, stars and even asteroids.

The reason the Orionid meteors are named after the constellation Orion is that they appear to originate or radiate from the same region of the sky.

CONTRIBUTING Doyle Rice, Zoe Wells

SOURCE EarthSky.org, NASA, American Meteor Society and USA TODAY research

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: October's Orionid meteor shower: Where and when to see it this weekend in Michigan