Orionids meteor shower to be October treat for stargazers

Weather conditions permitting, the Orionids, a meteor shower that is the product of leftover bits from the famed Halley's Comet, should dazzle stargazers in October, state astronomers said Sunday.

 

In its astronomical diary for October, PAGASA hinted fireballs may be seen during the meteor shower since the Orionids are very fast.

 

"The Orionids are fast meteors and also have fireballs. The radiant of the shower, will be observed north of Betelgeuse, the brightest star in the constellation Orion, the Mighty Hunter," PAGASA administrator Nathaniel Servando noted.

 

PAGASA said that in 1993 and 1998, a sub-maximum peak as strong as the normal peak was recorded on October 17 and 18 from Europe.

 

According to Space.com, the Orionids will be active October 2 to 7, and peak on October 21, with approximately 25 meteors per hour.

 

Meteors are to travel at 66 km per second, it said. Square of Pegasus

 

PAGASA also said the Square of Pegasus constellation takes center stage in the Philippine night sky after sunset, signaling the arrival of the northern fall.

 

To its northeast is the Andromeda galaxy (M31), the closest large spiral galaxy to the Milky Way galaxy.

 

"Under clear skies and with the aid of a star map and familiarity with the surrounding background stars, it can be seen as an elongated misty patch with the naked eye and can be easily viewed through binoculars and telescopes," Servando said.

 

Planets

 

Venus will be found at about 14 degrees above the eastern horizon. It will shine brilliantly at magnitude -3.9.

 

"During the first week of the month, Venus lies within 5 degrees of Regulus, the prominent star of the constellation Leo, fitting in the same field of view by using modest-size binoculars," Servando said.

 

At 4 a.m. of October 3, Venus and Regulus will be less than eight minutes apart when they rise on that morning.

 

On October 3 at around 7 p.m. Mars will be found at about 13 degrees above the west southwestern horizon and will be glowing as a blurry orange dot at magnitude +1.2.

 

It will lie among the background stars of the constellation Scorpius.

 

At sunset of October 18, Servando said Mars will make a "beautiful line-up" with Antares, the prominent star of the constellation Scorpius and with the crescent moon. — BM, GMA News