Received this from Astronomy Newsletter, Astronomy Magazine via email:
A Last Quarter Moon hinders observations of this year's Orionid meteor shower. Still, this annual shower will be worth a look. First, the Orionids tend to produce bright, swift meteors. Second, the shower may produce more meteors than usual. It exhibited strong activity in 2006, with rates 3 times higher than normal, and some astronomers suspect enhanced activity this year as well.
The Orionids peak before dawn October 21. Observers with excellent sky conditions can expect to see perhaps 10 meteors per hour. The Orionid shower remains a popular event with backyard observers because the nights at this time of year aren't too cold and, even without meteors, the winter sky looks spectacular on display in the autumn morning.
To find more observable objects in your sky, visit Astronomy.com's sky events calender here.
Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society
