From NASA: "Earth is about to pass through a stream of debris from Halley's comet, source of the annual Orionid meteor shower. Forecasters expect the shower to peak on Saturday morning, Oct. 22nd, with more than 15 meteors per hour. Earth isn't the only world in the debris stream; NASA researchers will also be watching for meteoroid strikes on the Moon."

  • thatbob

    Hmm, is NASA promoting the usage of “world” to describe the moon now?  I have to admit, it seems accurate, if not how I usually would use the word.  For surely, the moon is not of *this* world, and when standing on ot you are given a whole new world view.  Okay!

    Still, it’s hard for me to imagine Earth passing through a meteor shower that the moon did not also pass through. 

    • GregS

      I don’t think the word “world” has any exact scientific definition, unlike “planet”, so it’s probably accurate to call the moon a world. Indeed, it would probably be fine to use that word for any body large enough for people to land on – even a small asteroid.

      Incidentally, in old interviews, the Apollo astronauts sometimes referred to the moon as a planet, so even men who actually stood on that body didn’t see a problem with referring to it as such.

  • formosaman

    So where (on the Earth) will this be visible from?

    • Guest

      the dark side of the planet, facing Orion. 

  • alissa mower clough

    I dig meteor showers. Check out the one that begins Sweeny Todd!