The Orionid meteor shower will be visible in Sri Lanka’s night sky over the coming days, according to the Arthur C. Clarke Centre for Modern Technologies in Moratuwa.
The annual meteor shower, which occurs every October, is expected to be best observed on October 21 and 22.
The Orionids occur when dust and small rocky particles left behind by Halley’s Comet enter Earth’s atmosphere and burn up, producing bright streaks of light across the sky.
These particles enter the atmosphere at speeds of approximately 66 kilometres per second, creating the fast-moving flashes of light commonly known as shooting stars.
The meteor shower is best observed after midnight, particularly during the early morning hours, when skies are clear.
The Arthur C. Clarke Centre noted that no special telescopes or other equipment are required to observe the phenomenon, as the meteors can be seen with the naked eye.
