Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

Orionid Meteor Shower Set to Dazzle in October 2025

10/22/2025

46 3 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

The Orionid meteor shower peaks October 21–23, 2025.
Earth passes through debris from Halley's Comet, producing bright meteors.
Meteors travel up to 148,000 mph as they blaze through Earth's atmosphere.
The meteors appear to radiate from the Orion constellation.
Observers can see about 15 to 20 meteors per hour between 1 a.m. and dawn, aided by dark skies from a new moon.

History

Historical Context

Halley's Comet made its closest approach to Earth in 1986, captivating over 10 million observers. This event coincided with the successful flybys of the Giotto and Vega spacecraft, which provided unprecedented data about the comet's nucleus. The fascination with Halley's Comet has since fueled public interest in astronomy and meteor showers, highlighting humanity's enduring curiosity about the cosmos.

1 of 2

Story summary

The Orionid meteor shower peaks October 21–23, 2025.
Earth passes through debris from Halley's Comet, producing bright meteors.
Meteors travel up to 148,000 mph as they blaze through Earth's atmosphere.
The meteors appear to radiate from the Orion constellation.
Observers can see about 15 to 20 meteors per hour between 1 a.m. and dawn, aided by dark skies from a new moon.

1 / 2