Look up: Hunter’s Moon, Orinoid meteor shower light up sky

2 sights in the sky at once with unfortunate timing

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Carol Lee Adams: "Hunter Moon setting on the Amelia River -- There is a Dolphin behind the boat"

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Look out for two interesting sights in the night sky as a full moon peaks early Tuesday and Wednesday in the early evening and meteors shoot late at night.

If you go out for an evening stroll along the beach, watch for the full Hunter moon rising in the east at 6:38 pm Tuesday just 12 minutes before sunset. Clear skies should afford lovely views of the moon as it peeks above the horizon.

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You will be able to enjoy the sunset and moonrise by simply turning around behind you.

The moon has to be opposite the sun to be full and technically this occurs during daylight on Wednesday at 10:56 am.

Orionid Meteor Shower

The Hunter moon may take the shine away from some meteors in the sky. If you look closely you may spot some early meteors from the Orionids that peak Wednesday night into Thursday morning.

These shooting stars are from bits of space rocks left behind from Halley’s Comet. The fragments burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere and shine for seconds in the sky. The one problem is that the moon’s light may make it difficult to see the Orionids.

The best time to see the meteor shower is after 2 a.m. Wednesday near the constellation of Orion, where sky watchers can expect to see around 20 meteors per hour. Unfortunately this year the moonlight may wash out your view.

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About the Author:

After covering the weather from every corner of Florida and doing marine research in the Gulf, Mark Collins settled in Jacksonville to forecast weather for The First Coast.