Article Posted on : - Oct 22, 2012

NEW DELHI (PTI): The annual Orionid meteor shower, that occurs every year in mid-to-late October, peaked over the weekend much to the delight of astro-enthusiasts here.

"The Orionid shower peaked this weekend as a number of meteors streaked the sky in the dark hours just before dawn," SPACE President C B Devgun told PTI.

Orionid meteor shower is one of the top meteor showers that occurs each year mid-to-late October when Earth passes through a stream of dusty debris from Comet Halley.

It lasts for atleast one week and produces up to 20 green and yellow meteors per hour during its peak.

The meteor shower, which began on October 15 and will end on October 29, was best seen during the intervening night of October 20 and 21.

A public event too had been organised by non-governmental organisation 'NGO SPACE' at India Gate, which attracted several astro-enthusiasts to view the grand astronomical show.