The Draconid and Orionid meteor showers will light up the sky this month: When they peak and how to see them

Two meteor showers will dazzle the night sky this month, along with a brilliant super harvest moon starting next week.

The Draconids and the Orionids are the two major meteor showers happening in October, though one may offer a more spectacular show than the other. Telescopes are not required; in fact, NASA doesn’t recommend them in this case, since it can restrict one’s view to a small portion of the sky.

“Meteor showers occur annually or at regular intervals as the Earth passes through the trail of dusty debris left by a comet,” NASA explains. “Meteor showers are usually named after a star or constellation that is close to where the meteors appear in the sky.”

The Draconids meteor shower

• Full duration: Oct. 6 through Oct. 10

• Peak: Wednesday, Oct. 8

• Best time to see them: As darkness falls on the evening of Oct. 8 into the early morning hours on Oct. 9.

• Where to find them: Locate the Draco constellation in the northern sky. (Free astronomy apps like SkyView Lite, Star Walk 2 and Star Chart can help you locate constellations, stars and planets.) It’s possible to see them in the southern hemisphere, but you’d have to be rather close to the equator to see Draco’s stars. 

• What to expect: If the skies are dark enough, you might be able to see up to 10 meteors an hour, according to NASA. The big and bright super full moon may make it difficult to see the Draconids this year. 

• Where they originate: The Draconids come from burning debris left by Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner, according to NASA.

NASA says if you’re not able to view the Draconids meteor shower this year, you can always wait just a few weeks to see a more promising meteor shower, the Orionids, which are known for their brightness and speed.

The Orionids meteor shower

• Full duration: Sept. 26 through Nov. 22

• Peak: Tuesday, Oct. 21

• Best time to see them: Before midnight local time on Oct. 21 until roughly 2 a.m. on Oct. 22

• Where to find them: Look near the Orion constellation. If you’re in the northern hemisphere, look to the southeast sky, and if you’re in the southern hemisphere, look to the northeast sky.

• What to expect: About 20 meteors per hour will shoot across the night sky, according to NASA. The Orionids can also produce fireballs, so keep an eye out for bright explosions of light.

• Where they originate: The Orionids come from the burning debris left by Halley’s comet (1P/Halley).