Clouds could limit viewing of Orionid meteor showers Monday night, early Tuesday

Chicagoans could be treated to yet another cosmic spectacle in the sky this year, this time in the form of meteor showers, though a cold front could put a damper on local viewing ability.

The Orionids — one of two major meteor showers caused by remnants from Halley’s comet — will peak with the arrival of a new moon, providing an excellent opportunity to see shooting stars without interference from moonlight. Peak viewing hours for the Chicago area will be before midnight Monday until around 2 a.m. Tuesday.

Unfortunately, the local weather may not allow for much to be seen. Jake Petr, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said a cold front moving through the city Monday night means there will likely be “widespread cloud coverage” through the peak viewing window, though those in western Illinois may have a chance to see the spectacle.

The front also will bring rain — about a tenth of an inch — and breezy conditions.

“There’s a lot of cloud coverage with it, so we’ll probably be cloudy through 1 or 2 a.m.,” Petr said.

In spite of that, laying flat on the ground, away from cities and street lights — sources of light pollution that can drown out phenomena in the night sky — with one’s feet facing southeast is the best way to view some of the show, according to NASA.

During Tuesday morning’s peak, stargazers can expect to see up to a dozen or so meteors per hour in ideal viewing conditions, according to the Adler Planetarium.

Halley’s comet passes near Earth every 75 years, though debris left by the comet, moving at 41 miles per second, leads to two major meteor showers annually in mid-October.

Contributing: AP