A meteor surprised Puerto Rico’s skies during the early hours of Saturday morning with its intense brightness, visible through the cloud cover. The Caribbean Astronomy Society confirmed it was an Orionid meteor, a fragment of the famous Halley’s Comet that disintegrated upon entering Earth’s atmosphere. The meteor was observed at 1:48 AM while looking north, showing a greenish trail and leaving a persistent line of smoke visible despite the clouds.
Orionid meteors occur when Earth passes through a space region containing fragments of material left by Halley’s Comet. The comet last passed through the inner Solar System in 1986 and is expected to return around 2061. According to the Caribbean Astronomy Society, some Orionid meteors may still be visible until November 7, with increased activity around October 21 and 22.
The organization recommends occasionally looking at the sky from 11:00 PM to increase the chances of spotting one.