Tiny pieces of Halley's Comet will streak through the sky tonight as the Orionid meteor shower reaches its peak on the night of Wednesday, Oct. 21, into the morning of Thursday, Oct. 22. The catch this year is the Moon. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory says a bright waxing gibbous Moon will drown out many fainter meteors, so the best chance comes in the few hours before dawn, after the Moon sets.

That makes this a set-your-alarm shower rather than an evening one. Readers in New York, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles and everywhere in between will want to be outside roughly between moonset and the first glow of morning twilight Thursday.

No telescope is needed. A dark spot, a reclining chair and patience are enough to catch a few bright streaks, and possibly a fireball.

Bits of a Famous Comet Hitting the Atmosphere at 41 Miles per Second

Each time Halley's Comet swings through the inner solar system, it sheds ice and rocky dust along its orbit. Earth crosses that debris twice a year, producing the Eta Aquariids in May and the Orionids in October, according to NASA's Orionids page. The comet itself was last seen by casual observers in 1986 and will not return to the inner solar system until 2061.

The Orionids are known for speed. NASA says they hit the atmosphere at about 41 miles (66 kilometers) per second, fast enough to leave glowing trains that can linger for seconds and occasionally flare into fireballs. Under dark skies, observers typically see about 10 to 20 meteors per hour at the peak.

The shower is active from Oct. 2 through Nov. 7, 2026, so meteors will not vanish after tonight. But the next few nights offer the best rates.

Part of the appeal is the connection to history. NASA notes that Halley's Comet has been recorded for millennia and appears on the Bayeux Tapestry, which chronicles the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Anyone watching tonight is seeing dust from the same object — shed on earlier passes through the inner solar system, long before most of us were born.

The Moon Sets the Schedule This Year

The Moon reached first quarter on Oct. 18 and will be full on Oct. 25, according to NASA, which puts a bright, roughly 80% lit Moon in the sky for much of the peak night. Space.com reports that it sets around 3 a.m. local time across North America on Oct. 22, though the exact time varies with your location.

That leaves a dark window of a few hours between moonset and the start of morning twilight. It also happens to be when Orion climbs highest, which is when the shower produces the most meteors. A free astronomy app or your local almanac will give the precise moonset for your town.

Because moonset is tied to local time, the plan is the same in every U.S. time zone: about 3 a.m. Eastern for viewers in Atlanta or Boston, about 3 a.m. Pacific for those in Seattle or San Diego. Forecasters also differ slightly on the exact moment of peak activity, but the shower's maximum is broad, so the pre-dawn hours of Thursday remain the target for North America.

"Find a dark location. Give your eyes time to adjust and look up," said Raquel Villanueva of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in the agency's October skywatching guide.

Look Away From Orion for Longer Streaks

The meteors appear to radiate from a point just north of Betelgeuse, the bright reddish star in Orion, but they can show up anywhere in the sky. NASA actually recommends looking 45 to 90 degrees away from the radiant, where meteors appear longer and more dramatic. Staring right at Orion tends to show short streaks.

In the Northern Hemisphere, NASA suggests lying flat on your back with your feet toward the southeast and taking in as much sky as possible. Your eyes need less than 30 minutes in the dark to adapt, so put the phone away, since even a glance at a bright screen resets your night vision.

City lights are the other enemy. Orionids are often faint, so suburban parks, rural roads with safe pullouts or state parks that allow night access will show far more than a downtown balcony — even a 30-minute drive from a metro core can make a visible difference.

Photographers can try a phone on a tripod in night mode or a camera with a wide lens and long exposures. Point it away from the Moon's glow and toward a dark patch of sky, and expect to capture only a few meteors over an hour.

Clouds, Cold and a Second Chance Thursday Night

Weather will decide what most people see. An AccuWeather outlook issued last week favored the central and eastern U.S. for clearer skies, with possible clouds around Florida, the Upper Midwest and New England and a storm system bringing widespread clouds west of the Rockies. Coastal residents from the Carolinas to New England should also keep in mind the offshore nor'easter this week. Check your local National Weather Service forecast before heading out, since conditions can change quickly.

Forecasts of the exact peak moment vary, and the Orionids have a broad maximum, so if clouds win tonight, the pre-dawn hours of Friday, Oct. 23, are still worth a try. The Moon will set a little later each night, which shrinks the dark window.

Late October nights are cold in much of the country, so dress in layers and bring a blanket. Stay on public land or property where you have permission, park well off the road, and let someone know where you are going.

The bottom line: the Orionids peak tonight, but the Moon has the first say. Wait until it sets, get away from lights, look away from Orion, and give it at least half an hour.

What Readers Want to Know

When is the Orionid peak?

The night of Wednesday, Oct. 21, into the morning of Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026, according to NASA.

What time should I look?

After the Moon sets, which is around 3 a.m. local time in much of North America, until morning twilight begins.

How many meteors will I see?

About 10 to 20 per hour under dark skies, according to NASA, though moonlight and light pollution will reduce that.

Where in the sky should I look?

Anywhere. The meteors radiate from Orion, but NASA recommends looking 45 to 90 degrees away from it for longer streaks.

What causes the Orionids?

Dust and rock shed by Halley's Comet, which burns up when it hits Earth's atmosphere at about 41 miles per second.

What if it is cloudy tonight?

Try the pre-dawn hours of Oct. 23. The shower has a broad peak and stays active through Nov. 7.