The Orionid meteor shower will peak on Friday night

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If you’re a stargazer, make sure you look up at the sky tonight.

A ‘wonderful’ meteor shower called the Orionids will be visible to the naked eye when it peaks on Friday night.

The Orionids appear every fall when Earth passes through the debris stream left by Halley’s Comet, filling the sky with “long-lasting bursts of light.” NASA he says.

This year, the annual shower will be the biggest on the night of October 21-22 between midnight and dawn (Friday evening to Saturday morning).

During this period, 20 shooting stars could fly overhead every hour, each traveling at speeds of up to 41 miles (66 kilometers) per second.

The Orionid meteor shower will peak on Friday night

The radiant for the Orionids (the point in the sky where the meteors seem to come from) is in the constellation Orion, hence the name ‘Orionids’.

The Orionids (pictured in 2016), which they describe as

Described as “one of the most beautiful showers of the year”, the Orionids (pictured in 2016) appear each fall as Earth passes through the debris stream left by Halley’s Comet

What is the Orionid Meteor Shower?

The Orioinid Swarm consists of the remnants of Halley’s Comet. The comet itself was last seen in 1986 and is not expected to illuminate Earth’s sky again until 2061.

But every year in mid-to-late October, Earth passes through the dusty remnants of a comet. When this happens, the pre-dawn sky can light up with a stunning display of shooting stars.

People living in North America, Europe, most parts of Asia, and northern parts of South America can see the meteor shower by looking toward the southeastern sky.

Those living in the southern hemisphere can see the shower if they look toward the northeast sky.

“The Orionids, which peak each year in mid-October, are considered one of the most beautiful showers of the year,” says NASA.

“Orionid meteors are known for their brightness and speed. These meteors are fast—traveling into Earth’s atmosphere at about 148,000 miles per hour (66 km/s).

‘Fast meteors can leave glowing “trains” (glowing bits of debris behind the meteor) that last from seconds to minutes.

“Rapid meteors can also sometimes become fireballs; look for long bursts of light as you observe the Orionid meteor shower.’

To find the Orionids, members of the public should find a spot away from street lamps and other sources of light pollution.

Meteors can be seen with the naked eye, so there is no need for binoculars or a telescope, but a 20-minute period is recommended for the eyes to adjust to the darkness.

The radiant for the Orionids – the point in the sky where the meteors seem to come from – is in the constellation of Orion, hence the name ‘Orionids’.

The Met Office told MailOnline that the forecast for the peak time of the meteor shower was good.

“Friday evening will be the best chance to see the Orionid meteor shower in England and Wales, where the sky will become increasingly clear as the night progresses,” said Dr. Matthew Box, Met Office Senior Operational Meteorologist.

“Unfortunately, Saturday night looks set to be quite cloudy across much of the UK with far fewer breaks, so my recommendation to all budding comet watchers would be to make the most of Friday night.”

According to the Royal Greenwich Observatory, the Orionids are an ‘extra special’ display that reliably produces shooting stars visible around the world.

Halley's Comet March 8, 1986 Halley's Comet, which left behind the sand-sized particles that produce the Orionids, orbits the inner solar system about every 75 years.

Halley’s Comet March 8, 1986 Halley’s Comet, which left behind the sand-sized particles that produce the Orionids, orbits the inner solar system about every 75 years.

Orionid meteor streaks over Jampayang Snow Mountain, Yading National Nature Reserve, Sichuan Province, China

Orionid meteor streaks over Jampayang Snow Mountain, Yading National Nature Reserve, Sichuan Province, China

How to see a meteor shower from the UK

The Orionid meteor shower should be visible from anywhere on Earth and can be seen anywhere in the sky.

Look for Orion’s hunter shape and the meteor shower radiant will be near Orion’s sword, to the north.

To ensure the best view in the shower, move away from light pollution – such as city lights.

The shower will be most visible around 1:30 a.m. on October 20 and 21.

Experts recommend that your eyes get used to the dark for 20 minutes.

They can be seen in the northern and southern hemispheres in the hours after midnight.

The moon will also be less than 20% illuminated, which means that the moonlight should not obscure our view of the shooting stars.

Meteors, also known as shooting stars, come from the remnants of comet particles and pieces of broken asteroids.

As comets come around the sun, the dust they emit gradually expands into a dust trail around their orbits.

Each year, Earth passes through these debris trails, allowing pieces to crash into our atmosphere, where they break up and create fiery and colorful streaks in the sky.

However, the events pose no threat to humans, as the objects almost always burn up in our atmosphere before reaching the planet’s surface.

Halley’s Comet, which left behind the sand-sized particles that produce the Orionids, orbits the inner solar system every 75 years or so.

It was last seen with the naked eye in 1986, and will not appear again until the summer of 2061.

In the meantime, we are left to watch the meteor shower emerge from its ‘cometary litter’ as it flies through the atmosphere.

Meteors, also known as shooting stars, come from the remains of comet particles and pieces of broken asteroids (artist's impression)

Meteors, also known as shooting stars, come from the remains of comet particles and pieces of broken asteroids (artist’s impression)

It is one of two showers created by debris from Halley’s Comet; the other is Eta Aquariids in May.

After the Orionids, there are a few more meteor showers this year, including the Geminids, which NASA is calling ‘the best meteor shower of the year’.

This meteor shower takes place every year between December 4th and 17th, peaking between December 13th and 14th.

The Royal Greenwich Observatory says the Geminids emit up to 100 shooting stars per hour and are expected to intensify each year.

REMAINING METEOR FLOWERS IN 2022

Orionids: October 21 and 22 – 25.00 per hour – Fast with fine trains

Taurides: 10.-11. October (southern part), 12-13 November (Northern) – 5 per hour – very slow

Leonidas: 17.-18. November – 10 per hour – Fast and bright

Geminids: 14th and 15th December – 150 per hour – Bright and plentiful, few trains

Ursids: 22.-23. December – 10 per hour – Rare showers

Note: Dates refer to the top of each shower

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