Orionid meteor shower to peak THIS WEEKEND – how to spot shooting stars flying by at 41 miles per second

THE Orionid meteor shower is set to peak this weekend, giving amateur astronomers the opportunity to spot up to 25 shooting stars per hour.

The annual shower is the tail end of Halley’s comet, which the Earth passes through every year in late October.

PAOrionids meteors, which stem from the Orion constellation, are known for the speed at which the fly by[/caption]

This year’s Orionid meteor shower will peak on the night of 21 and 22 October, between midnight and dawn. 

Although, the shower is active from 2 October to 7 November.

So, if you’re looking you should be able to see the shower for several days either side of this peak, according to experts at the Royal Observatory Greenwich.

You’ll have to be eagle-eyed, though.

Orionids meteors, which stem from the Orion constellation, are known for the speed at which the fly by.

The thin trails of light will zoom past around 41 miles per second.

How do I see them?

To give yourself the best chance of seeing the shower, you should first check the weather forecast.

Storm Babet doesn’t exactly put many in the UK in the best location to spot them.

However, this shower can be seen across the globe.

It’s wise to choose a spot with little light pollution, and a view unobstructed by a skyline or trees.

“The meteors can be seen in all parts of the sky, so it’s good to be in a wide open space where you can scan the night sky with your eyes,” the Royal Observatory explains.

“But if you trace the paths that the meteors take, they seem to originate from the constellation of Orion.”

Give your eyes at least 15 minutes to adjust to the dark so that you can see the fainter meteors.

The best time to catch a glimpse of the display will be between midnight and 5:30am.

Binoculars and telescopes won’t be necessary, as they will restrict the size of the sky that’s visible to you.