Highland stargazers gear up for shooting star fun in dark northern skies
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Shooting star hunters in the Highlands will have multiple chances to gaze at meteors as they streak across our skies this month.
A number of meteor showers will be making their presence felt in October – including the Orionids famously associated with Halley's Comet.
First up are the Draconids, which are active from today (October 6) until October 10 and should be peaking this Sunday.
Skywatchers can expect to see up to 10 meteors an hour on average, with the shooting stars all appearing to come from the direction of the Draco constellation.
But fans of meteor showers should have an even better chance to view shooting stars as we head deeper into October.
Although they are active throughout the month, the Orionids – which are pieces of debris shed by Halley's Comet on its 76-year orbit round the sun – will peak on October 21.
On that date skywatchers can expect to see an average of up to 25 meteors per hour – almost one every couple of minutes.
But if you're lucky you may be treated to a much higher rate. The average is known to vary, and back in the late noughties as many as 70 per hour were recorded in one year.
As their name would suggest, the meteors will all be seen to have come from the direction of Orion.
A third shower will also begin on October 20 and will continue to produce meteors into December. Peaking around November 12 or 13, the Taurids are not known to produce a high rate of meteors per hour, but keep your eyes peeled anyway and you may spot some.
What's more, during your various meteor hunting exploits always keep an eye on the aurora forecast. The sun is approaching its period of most intense activity – the so-called Solar Maximum – which is expected to peak next year.
This results in more sunspots on the surface of the sun, and more sunspot activity often leads to a higher frequency of the Coronal Mass Ejections that cause the more intense aurorae needed for people to enjoy a really good display in Scottish skies.
Nights where the moon doesn't rise until late, or on evenings closer to the new moon, will also maximise chances that its glow won't wash out any display.
