Look to the stars this week — some may seem to be shooting across the sky. That’s due to the Draconid meteor shower, which peaks this week.
The Draconid meteor shower is an annual event in which meteors — aka “shooting stars” — appear in the sky of the Northern Hemisphere. Typically, it occurs in October. This year, you can view the Draconids from Oct. 6 to Oct. 10, but the meteor shower will peak around the evening of Oct. 7 to the early morning of Oct. 8.
What can I expect to see?
Occasionally, the Draconids will cause major bursts of light from thousands of shooting stars an hour. This year, however, the show won’t be nearly as intense — around 10 shooting stars an hour are predicted to be seen during the shower’s peak.
Read more from AccuWeather: October’s supermoon will be sandwiched between 2 meteor showers
Where is the Draconid meteor shower?
The Draconids get their name because the meteors in this shower appear to originate from the direction of the Draco constellation, which snakes between the Big and Little Dipper in the northern sky. However, you don’t have to worry about finding Draco specifically in order to see these falling stars: Just look generally in the northern sky and see what you can spot.
Read more from the Weather Network: The Fall ‘Season of Meteor Showers’ may include rare astronomical treats
How can I best view the shower?
Your best bet for getting a good view of the Draconids is to find a dark location away from light pollution on Oct. 7. Unlike other meteor showers, which are sometimes best visible later in the night, you’ll be more likely to spot the Draconids in the evening right after sunset — so no need to stay up superlate! Just give your eyes some time to adjust.
