Popular Orionid Meteor Shower Will Peak This Weekend

By Chris Spears

DENVER (CBS4) - Do you remember Halley's Comet? It last streaked by Earth in 1986 as it does approximately every 75 years.

Each October our planet passes through a stream of debris left behind from Halley's Comet known as the Orionids.

According to space.com they are some of the fastest and brightest meteors in the sky.

The 2017 Orionid meteor shower will peak this weekend (Oct. 20-22) with up to 20 meteors per hour potentially visible.

To see them look for the constellation Orion which will be in the eastern sky before sunrise.

For the best viewing you want to be in a dark location away from city lights. You won't have to worry about light pollution from the moon this year because we enter a new moon phase this weekend.

Meteorologist Chris Spears travels weekly in the CBS4 Mobile Weather Lab reporting about Colorado's weather and climate. Check out his bio, connect with him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter @ChrisCBS4.