Overview
- The shower’s broad maximum runs Oct. 20–22, with the best viewing after midnight into the pre‑dawn hours as Orion rises higher.
- Under dark, clear skies observers can expect about 10–20 meteors per hour, including fast streaks, persistent trains and occasional fireballs.
- No equipment is required; choose a dark site, let eyes adjust for 20–30 minutes, and scan widely rather than staring directly at Orion near Betelgeuse.
- Comets C/2025 A6 Lemmon (northwest) and C/2025 R2 SWAN (southwest) are evening binocular targets, and NOAA outlooks suggest possible aurora in northern latitudes.
- Cloud cover may limit viewing in some regions, forecasters warn, but the Orionids continue for several nights for those who miss the peak.