Orionid meteor shower: When, where and how to watch it from India; tips for the best views and more

The Orionid meteor shower peaks around 21–22 October, with India’s best viewing before dawn on 22 October, after moonset.

The Orionid meteor shower will peak around 21-22 October. Skywatchers in India should plan an early morning outing for the best views. Dark surroundings and patience will help, as these meteors are often faint.

The best viewing period comes after the moonset and before dawn. In Mumbai, this window is roughly 3:30 AM to 5:15 AM (Indian time), according to Stargazing Mumbai.

Timings vary slightly between cities, so viewers elsewhere should allow for local differences. But, roughly, the Orionid meteor shower will be visible from anywhere in India during the pre-dawn hours on 22 October.

The sky starts brightening towards dawn, reducing the chance of spotting faint meteors. Moonlight makes the hours before moonset less favourable.

Orionids are mainly a late-night shower, with fewer meteors visible during evening hours. From India, their apparent starting point rises above the horizon around 10-11 pm.

It climbs higher through the night, improving viewing conditions after midnight. Before dawn, it passes almost overhead at latitudes similar to Mumbai.

Orionid meteor shower: Tips for watching

Choose a safe, dark rural location away from bright city lights. You may also choose a high-rise building's terrace if you live in a city.

Artificial lighting can hide the shower’s weaker streaks. Settle into a reclining chair or sleeping bag and let your eyes adjust. Then, watch a broad stretch of sky instead of one small patch.

Before moonset, face east or northeast and keep the Moon behind you. Once the Moon sets, lie back and look overhead and towards the east. Take in as much open sky as possible. Meteors can appear anywhere, so avoid staring only at their apparent starting point.

That point, called the radiant, lies in Orion’s upper region near reddish Betelgeuse. It is also close to the border between Orion and Gemini. To find Orion, first locate its three bright belt stars. Then look upwards towards Betelgeuse, which marks the hunter’s shoulder.

Under dark, moonless conditions, the peak can produce around 10-20 meteors per hour. With moonlight present, viewers under typical rural skies may see only a handful. These numbers are averages, and sightings can arrive in bursts. Quiet periods between meteors are normal, so stay patient.

What are the Orionids?

The Orionids come from dust and debris left behind by Halley’s Comet. Earth passes close to the comet’s orbit every October and May. Some particles enter our atmosphere at about 66 km/s. They light up as the streaks commonly called shooting stars.

About half of Orionid meteors leave glowing trails that linger in the sky. Meteors appearing farther from the radiant can produce longer, more striking trails.

Halley’s Comet last visited the inner solar system in 1986. Its next return is expected in 2061. Until then, the Orionids offer a yearly chance to watch its scattered leftovers.

About the Author

Sounak Mukhopadhyay covers trending news, sports and entertainment for LiveMint. His reporting focuses on fast-moving stories, box office performance, digital culture and major cricket developments. He combines real-time updates with clear context for everyday readers. <br><br> Sounak brings newsroom experience across breaking news, explainers and long-form features. He has a strong emphasis on accuracy, verification and responsible storytelling. His work tracks audience behaviour, celebrity influence and the business of sport and cinema. He helps readers understand why a story matters beyond the headline. <br><br> Sounak has contributed to widely read digital publications. He continues to build a body of journalism shaped by consistency, speed and editorial clarity. He is particularly interested in the intersection of media, popular culture and public conversation in contemporary India. <br><br> At LiveMint, he writes daily coverage as well as analytical pieces that interpret numbers, trends and cultural moments in accessible language. His approach prioritises factual depth, balanced framing and reader trust. The reporting aligns with modern newsroom standards of transparency and credibility. <br><br> Outside daily reporting, he explores storytelling across formats including podcasts, filmmaking and narrative non-fiction. Through his journalism, Sounak aims to document the rhythms of modern entertainment and sports while maintaining rigorous editorial integrity. <br><br> Sounak continues to develop audience-focused journalism that connects speed with substance in a rapidly-changing information environment. His work seeks clarity, trust and lasting public value in every story he reports.