Kentucky skygazers may have a chance to see the Orionids , one of the year's most striking meteor showers this weekend, but only if you head to a prime viewing location and the weather cooperates.
While that doesn't sound like the most promising conditions, the Orionids should be visible through November, so you may have better luck seeing them in the coming weeks.
Here's what to know.
USA TODAY: Orionids meteor shower hits peak activity this weekend: When and where to watch
The Orionid meteor shower, courtesy of the famed Halley's Comet , is forecast to reach its peak in a matter of days, when it will send a flurry of bright and fast meteors shooting across the night sky.
The meteors, widely considered by astronomers to produce the most beautiful shower of the year , whizz at about 148,000 mph into Earth's atmosphere at their peak, leaving glowing trains of debris in their wake that can last for several seconds or even multiple minutes, NASA says . And if they're fast enough, the meteors could also produce fireballs that appear as prolonged explosions of light.
Spectators eager to catch a glimpse of the spectacle this weekend who already have to contend with a bright moon outshining the meteors will also have to rely on clear evening skies , NASA warns.
Though the Orionids are active from Sept. 26 to Nov. 22, the meteors are set to peak in activity Sunday and Monday, according to the American Meteor Society .
Spectators have to contend with a nearly full bright waning gibbous moon that will outshine fainter meteors.
Still, if skygazers are lucky, they may see up to 23 meteors per hour blazing across moonless skies at 41 miles per second in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, according to NASA .
The best opportunity to witness streaking meteors on those days is from midnight to dawn, experts say.
Timeanddate.com offers a detailed schedule for when to see the Orionids.
- Find an area away from the light pollution of the city;
- Bring a sleeping bag, blanket or lawn chair (you're going to be there awhile;)
- Lie flat on your back with your feet facing southeast if you are in the Northern Hemisphere or northeast if you are in the Southern Hemisphere, and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible.
"In less than 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adapt and you will begin to see meteors," said Bill Cooke, who leads NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office in Alabama, in a statement.
Despite the meteor shower's namesake, astronomers advise spectators to avoid looking toward the constellation Orion if they want to get the best views. The meteors are visible anywhere in the night sky, particularly ‒ if you want to get technical ‒ 45 to 90 degrees away from the radiant, according to NASA.
According to Dark Sky International , the darkest location in Kentucky for viewing this meteor shower is Mammoth Cave.
Checking Dark Sky International's map is a good way to find places nearby that have the least amount of light pollution.
Friday
🌞Sunny, with a high near 68 degrees. Light east wind.
Friday night
🌝Clear, with a low around 41 degrees. Light east wind..
Saturday
🌫Patchy fog before 10 a.m. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 70 degrees. Calm wind.
Saturday night
🌁Patchy fog after 1 a.m. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 43 degrees. Calm wind.
Sunday
🌞Areas of fog before 10 a.m. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 72 degrees. Calm wind.
Sunday night
🌜Patchy fog after 1 a.m. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 44 degrees.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Will you be able to see Orionid meteor shower in Kentucky? Here's when it peaks
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