Today:
The Orionid Meteor Shower reaches its peak tonight. It is best seen in the hours after midnight, and the New Moon will contribute to favorable viewing conditions. The fragments of rock are part of debris released by Halley’s Comet, producing some 10 to 20 meteors per hour.
Tuesday:
Dark evenings tonight and tomorrow will offer a chance to see the Andromeda Galaxy, the most distant object human eyes can see. Look in the east-northeast for a slightly curved line of three stars, angled a bit up on the right end. From the middle star, go up to fainter stars, and then look for a faint puff of light. Binoculars will help.
Wednesday:
Looking in the east as midnight approaches, the skies hosts a trio of vertically-aligned stars. To the right – or to the south – of east, you’ll find the familiar trio marking the belt of Orion. From top to bottom, the stars are named Mintaka, Alnilam, and Alnitak. Orion is rising a little earlier each evening, and will become the northern hemisphere’s central evening constellation during the winter months.