18/10/2026
Here we go that’s why it’s my second name !
HALLEY'S COMET IS ABOUT TO TOUCH THE EARTH AGAIN. Not the comet itself. Something it left behind, centuries ago.
Every October, Earth passes through a ribbon of ancient debris, tiny fragments Halley shed on its orbit, some of them older than any living thing you have ever touched. That debris has been drifting in space, waiting, and in six nights it hits our atmosphere at roughly 66 kilometers per second.
That collision, invisible from the comet's perspective, becomes a shooting star from yours.
Here is what you actually need to know for the night of October 21:
· No equipment needed. Eyes only.
· Face southeast after midnight, and let your eyes fully adjust to the dark (20 minutes, no phone screen).
· The meteors radiate from the constellation Orion, but they streak across the entire sky.
· This year the Moon will be 74% illuminated at peak, which will wash out fainter streaks. Expect to catch the brightest ones only, around 5 to 10 per hour realistically from most locations.
· The window of best viewing runs from roughly 1 AM to 4 AM, when Orion is highest.
The Moon makes this a tough year. But every bright Orionid you catch is a fragment of Halley, a comet last seen from Earth in 1986. The next visit is not until 2061. This debris trail is the closest most of us will ever get.
Save this post now so you have the times when the night arrives. And if you have ever stood outside at 2 AM waiting for a streak of light to cross the sky, tell me where you were and what finally made you look up.
