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Orionid meteor shower peaks overnight Oct. 21-22

Space.com says the shower peaks overnight, when shooting stars should be visible to anyone with clear skies; no tickets, no streaming fee, just a dark spot.

On air: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on Weekend Edition
Published 7:51 AM ET, Saturday, October 17, 2026

Photo: NASA/W. Liller · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN

▶ As it aired · Tech

Watch it as it aired: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on this story, from Weekend Edition at 7:51 AM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are Space.com's, the jokes are ours.

Photo: NASA/W. Liller · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN

Photo: Halley's Comet — Photo: NASA/W. Liller · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN

At a glance

First reported by Space.com: “The Orionid meteor shower peaks next week! Here's what to expect”.
Covered on BBN on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at 7:51 AM ET on Weekend Edition, by Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield.
BBN covered this story before: Dog Lifespan Study Gets a Second Look From Late Night (October 16).

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

Space.comThe Orionid meteor shower peaks next week! Here's what to expect

What BBN said about it

Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentThe Orionid meteor shower peaks overnight on October twenty-first into the twenty-second, and Space.com says it should put on a spectacular show of shooting stars in the autumn sky.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentA free show in the sky with no app, no login and no subscription tier. I'm suspicious of how generous that is.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentThose streaks are dust left behind by a comet, burning up as it hits our atmosphere. It's not a subscription, Kenji, it's debris.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentDebris with great lighting.

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