If you didn’t get a chance to admire the Harvest Moon on Monday due to the rain and cloud cover, there’s no need to fret—another celestial spectacle will light up the Chicago skies this week.
The Draconid meteor shower is set to peak tonight, October 8, making for some incredible stargazing. The meteor shower is an annual occurrence according to NASA, typically falling between October 6th and 10th.
All about the Draconids
The so-called shooting stars are actually falling debris from the 21P Giacobini-Zinner comet which orbits earth.
The meteors also originate from the constellation Draco, hence the name Draconid. Stargazers can expect to see as many as ten 10 meteors per hour during the event.
In recent times, the Draconid shower has not been especially bright, according to the BBC. The most significant displays of the phenomenon occurred in 1933 and 1946.
Where to watch in Chicago
This year, because the Draconids coincide with the Harvest Moon, the meteor shower will likely be less visible.
However, the biggest obstacle when it comes to stargazing is cloud cover—and luckily for Chicagoans, tonight is supposed to be a a crystal clear night.
For the best chance at admiring the Draconids, stargazers should head to an area with minimal light pollution. Lakefront spots like Northerly Island and the Montrose Moonrise Observation Point provide unobstructed views of the night sky.