KATHMANDU, Oct 21: The Orionid meteor shower caused by Halley's comet will be visible from tonight at 10:45 pm to Monday morning at 5:45 am.
This celestial event is named Orionid meteor shower as its source appears to be the Orion constellation.
The best time to view the shower, according to the Nepal Astronomical Society (NASO), is after 3:45 am on Monday.
Meteor shower to occur tonight
During the peak downpour of meteors, it is estimated that up to 20 meteors per hour can be seen, shared NASO President Suresh Bhattarai.
The meteors drop at the rate of 67-kilometers per second, causing friction above the 70-kilo meters above the earth's atmosphere.
A comet releases dust and rock fragments when it reaches closer to the sun in course of its revolution and when the Earth, in course of its revolution round the sun, comes near the comet's orbit, the dust and the rock fragments left behind by the comet burn with bright illumination as they enter the atmosphere.
This phenomenon is called meteor shower.
Another Orionid meteor shower will be visible in 2061 AD, NASO said.
