The Orionid meteor shower peaked last week, in the light of a bright moon. This photo by Eliot Herman in Tucson – which he captured a day after the shower’s peak – shows it’s possible to see and photograph bright meteors even in moonlight. Thanks for submitting, Eliot!
That’s good, because – although there are several major meteor showers coming up between now and the end of the year – they all have to contend with some amount of moonlight. Check out EarthSky’s meteor guide for 2016.
The moon is waning now, and do be aware that there’s another long-lasting shower going on now, which is known to produce a large number of fireballs, or exceptionally bright meteors. Keep an eye out for Taurid meteors.
Deborah Byrd created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. Today, she serves as Editor-in-Chief of this website. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named 3505 Byrd in her honor. In 2020, she won the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society, the largest organization of professional astronomers in North America. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.
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