Two overlapping meteor showers will provide a stunning spectacle on the night of October 8 and the early morning of October 9.
According to data gathered in Ho Chi Minh City using tools from Time and Date, the Draconids meteor shower, originating from the constellation Draco (the Dragon), will peak on the night of October 8 into the early morning of October 9.
The Draconids meteor shower will radiate from near the head of the dragon forming the Draco constellation – (Photo: Steinaker State Park).
The Draconids are the most unpredictable meteor shower of the year, sometimes yielding only a few meteors per hour during the peak night, while other times it can produce hundreds or even thousands of meteors.
This year, the Draconids will be relatively quiet with an expected rate of only 5 meteors per hour. However, you may observe more meteors since a second meteor shower is also gracing the sky.
This second meteor shower is the Orionids, appearing to radiate from the constellation Orion, which runs from October 2 to November 7 and will peak on the night of October 21 into the early morning of October 22.
In contrast, the Draconids are much shorter, occurring from October 6 to October 10.
The Draconids are produced when Earth passes through the debris trail left by the comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner.
This comet takes about 6.6 years to complete one orbit around the Sun.
Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner during a close approach to Earth – (Photo: NASA).
Meanwhile, the Orionids, which occur alongside the Draconids, are the second meteor shower produced by Halley’s Comet.
In May, Halley’s famous dust trail also created the Eta Aquarids meteor shower.
You don’t need any special equipment to view the meteor showers, as the meteors can be seen with the naked eye.
However, for a better observation experience, it’s advisable to allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness for about 15-20 minutes, find an open space to gaze at the sky, and hope for clear weather.
