October brings a supermoon, Draconid and Orionid meteor shower peaks

WASHINGTON D.C., DC — A supermoon will light up the sky, a meteor shower will peak through it and another sparkling meteor shower is on deck for October. 

The full moon may interfere with viewing one of two meteor showers this month, but here’s everything you need to know about each celestial light show.

Here’s a rundown of what October holds: 

• Oct. 6: The October supermoon
• Oct. 6-10: The Draconid meteor shower
• Oct. 21: The Orionid meteor shower peaks

October’s full moon, also called the Hunter’s Moon or the Harvest Moon due to the timing of the autumnal equinox this year, will also be a supermoon. 

It will be full Monday, Oct. 6 around 11:48 p.m. EST. 

A supermoon is the popularized, common term for when the moon is in “perigee.” This means the moon’s orbit is at the nearest point to the Earth.

The supermoon can appear up to 30% brighter and 14% larger than a typical moon, according to NASA. 

This usually happens only three or four times a year and consecutively, given the moon’s constantly shifting, oval-shaped orbit.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) warns that the higher-than-normal tides associated with full and supermoons can sometimes contribute to minor coastal flooding in low-lying areas.

There will be three supermoons this year, kicking off with October’s.

According to Almanac.com, the “Beaver” Moon in November will be the closest to Earth, at about 221,817 miles away. The “Harvest” Moon will be roughly 224,600 miles from Earth.

Scientists point out that only the keenest observers can discern the subtle differences. It’s easier to detect the change in brightness — a supermoon can be 30% brighter than average.

With the U.S. and other countries ramping up lunar exploration with landers and eventually astronauts, the moon beckons brighter than ever.

If you miss the October full moon on Monday, mark your calendar for the next full moon, which will rise Wednesday, Nov. 5, known as the Beaver Moon. After that, 2025 will bring the full “Cold Moon” on Dec. 4. 

The Draconid meteor shower will peak Oct. 8, resulting in seeing roughly 10 meteors an hour approximately from the direction of the constellation Draco, the dragon, according to Space.com. This is one of the meteor showers you can watch before midnight, conditions permitting. 

The Orionid meteor shower will peak Oct. 20-21 right when the moon will be new and 0% lit, providing perfect viewing conditions if weather acts the same way. Stargazers and meteor watchers may spot up to 10-20 an hour, according to the American Meteor Society. 

Find a spot away from city lights and head outside just before or right after midnight, depending on the shower you’re watching. Lie flat on your back and look up. Allow yourself at least 30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the darkness. In the case of the moon being more full, try to block the light from it as well. 

Meteor showers occur annually as the Earth passes through debris trails left by comets, NASA says. 

They are usually named after a star or constellation that is close to where they appear in the sky. About 48.5 tons of “meteoritic material” fall on Earth each day, NASA says. Most of the material vaporizes while traveling through Earth’s atmosphere, producing a bright trail that is known to us as a shooting star. 

NASA says that several meteors can be seen on any given night, but the number dramatically increases during meteor showers.

The source of the Draconid showers is debris from Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner. Debris from Comet 1P/Halley is the source of the Orionid showers.

The next major meteor shower to watch is the Southern Taurids, which peaks in early November. November will also host the peak of the Northern Taurids and the Leonids, according to the American Meteor Society.