The Hunter's Shooting-Star Show

By: The Editors of Sky & Telescope October 25, 2006 0

This was the scene on October 21, 2006, in Turkey. TunÃ§ Tezel combined 18 pictures to create this dramatic "sky full of bullets."

Tunç Tezel

This past weekend marked the peak of the annual Orionid meteor shower. While this shower doesn't have the famed reputation of the Perseids, Geminids, or Leonids, the reports coming into Sky suggest that the Hunter's shooting-star show didn't disappoint. Editor in chief Rick Fienberg was particularly impressed, as the Orionids included "the most amazing fireball I've ever seen in my life." He went on to talk about an Earth-grazing bolide that left behind a lingering 30° dusty train in its wake.

George Gliba reports of a burst of activity as seen from his observing spot in West Virginia in the early morning hours of October 22nd. On a post to the Meteor Observing Mailing List, he wrote: "From 4:45 to 7:45 UT, I observed 119 Orionids, 53 the last hour! There were also many Orionids with trains."

So what did you see? We want to know. Send your observing reports to [email protected]. And if you have any photos to share, be sure to submit them to our photo gallery.