Set an alarm, grab a blanket and a warm drink: one of autumn’s most dependable sky shows is about to peak. The Orionid meteor shower reaches maximum activity around the night of October 21-22, 2026, and this year the timing works in skywatchers’ favor. The moon will set in the early morning hours, leaving a few precious hours of dark sky right when the meteors are at their best.

Here’s everything you need to know to see them.

When to watch

The Orionids are active for weeks around their peak, but the best nights are around October 21 and 22. According to Space.com’s 2026 viewing guide, the shower’s namesake constellation, Orion, doesn’t fully clear the eastern horizon until after about 11 p.m. local daylight time this time of year. That’s too early to bother heading out.

Instead, plan to start watching around 2 a.m., when Orion is well above the horizon. By about 5 a.m., just before dawn, the constellation reaches its highest point in the southern sky, which is when viewing should be at its best.

Why the moon won’t ruin it this year

Moonlight is the enemy of meteor watching, because it washes out all but the brightest streaks. A full moon arrives October 25-26, which sounds like bad news, but the timing actually lines up nicely for the peak.

Around October 21-22, the moon will be a waxing gibbous that sets shortly after 2 a.m. That leaves roughly three and a half hours of dark sky before dawn, and those hours overlap the shower’s peak. Under good, dark conditions, Space.com says a single observer may see as many as 15 to 20 Orionids per hour. NASA’s October skywatching guide likewise recommends looking in the hours before dawn, once the moon is out of the way.

Where to look

The meteors appear to fan out from a point near Orion’s raised club, just above and to the left of the reddish star Betelgeuse. That spot is called the radiant. You don’t need to stare right at it, though. Meteors can show up anywhere in the sky, and the ones that appear farther from the radiant often have longer, more dramatic trails.

A few tips will make a big difference:

  • Get away from city lights. Orionids are often faint, and light pollution can erase them. A safe, dark rural spot is ideal.
  • Lie back. A reclining lawn chair or sleeping bag lets you take in as much sky as possible without straining your neck.
  • Give your eyes time. It takes a while for your eyes to adapt to the dark. Avoid looking at your phone, or use a red-light mode if you must.
  • Dress warmer than you think. Pre-dawn hours in late October can be surprisingly cold when you’re sitting still.
  • Be patient. Meteors come in clumps and lulls. Give it at least half an hour before you decide it’s a quiet night.

The comet behind the show

Every Orionid you see is a tiny piece of Halley’s Comet, the most famous comet of all. As a comet nears the sun, ice on its surface turns to gas and releases dust and debris along its orbit. Earth passes near Halley’s orbital path twice a year, which gives us the Eta Aquarids in May and the Orionids in October.

These particles are small and fragile, and they slam into our atmosphere at about 41 miles (66 kilometers) per second. At that speed, even a speck of dust heats the air around it enough to produce a bright streak. Space.com notes that about half of Orionid meteors leave glowing trails that linger longer than those of comparably bright meteors, one of the shower’s signature features.

Halley itself last swung through the inner solar system in 1986. With an orbital period of about 75 years, it’s due back in 2061, so for most of us, the Orionids are the easiest way to “see” Halley until then.

More to spot this month

If you’re already outside in the dark, there’s more on the menu. NASA’s October guide notes that Saturn reached opposition on October 4, so the ringed planet is still well placed for viewing, and the moon passes near the Pleiades star cluster on October 27-28. And mark your calendar for December, when the Geminids, usually the most prolific shower of the year, return.

The wrap-up

The Orionids aren’t the year’s busiest meteor shower, but they’re reliable, fast and often leave beautiful lingering trails. This year, the moon cooperates in the hours before dawn on October 21 and 22. Find a dark spot, get comfortable, look up after the moon sets, and enjoy a little piece of Halley’s Comet burning up overhead.

Image: Perseid Meteor Shower; 8/11/15 by National Park Service via Rawpixel, CC0 1.0