The Orionid meteor shower: When, where you can see it in Baton Rouge

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Every year in October, Earth passes through a belt of leftover dust and ice particles from Halley’s comet.

Halley’s comet, which comes around every 76 years, is one of the most famous comets to exist because it has been seen repeatedly over centuries. The comet is primarily made of ice and dust, and as it orbits and gets closer to the Sun, the ice vaporizes, releasing both gas and dust, which creates its famous glowing tail.

These dust and ice particles left from the comet are suspended in space in the shape of Halley’s Comet’s orbit around the Sun. Earth passes through this belt twice a year, once in the spring and once in October. When Earth passes through the belt, these particles interact with Earth’s atmosphere and create the Orionid Meteor Shower…

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