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The Orionid Meteor Shower reaches its peak tonight with up to 25 shooting stars visible each hour

Updated: Oct 23

Stargazing fans are in for a special treat tonight as the year's "most reliable" meteor shower reaches its peak.


Keen skywatchers will have the chance to see the stunning Orionid Meteor Shower at its most active.


Every October, the Earth travels through the trail of debris left by Halley's Comet, causing a flurry of meteors to shoot out from the Orion constellation.


Tonight, as our planet passes through the densest part of this debris field, up to 25 fast-moving shooting stars per hour will streak across the sky.


Image of Orionid Meteor Shower


The best time to watch is between midnight and the early hours of tomorrow morning, though meteors can be spotted anytime after dark.


What’s even better is that you don’t need any special equipment to enjoy the Orionids, no matter where you are.


With clear skies forecast over parts of England, Wales, and Scotland, conditions are looking good for catching a glimpse of this amazing annual event.


Jessica Lee, an astronomer from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, explained that a meteor shower happens when tiny pieces of comet debris enter our atmosphere at high speeds, heating up and glowing brightly.


Image of Orionid Meteor Shower

"We get meteor showers regularly as the Earth moves through clouds of this material while orbiting the Sun," she said.


Halley’s Comet, officially known as 1P/Halley, takes 75 years to complete its orbit around the Sun. As it travels, it leaves behind dust and ice particles.


When the Earth crosses this cloud of debris, these small particles, some as tiny as grains of sand, hit our atmosphere at speeds of 41 miles per second (65 kmps).


Because the debris cloud is so large, the Orionid Meteor Shower can be seen for almost a month.


Ms Lee added: "You can spot meteors from this shower from 2nd October to 7th November, but the peak is on the night of 21st to 22nd October."


She also advised, "The later you stay up, the more meteors you might see. After midnight is best, but you might catch one earlier as long as it's dark."


Since shooting stars can be faint, for the best chance of seeing them, find a dark location with a clear, wide view of the sky.


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