Orionid meteor shower peaks in October night sky

The Orionid meteor shower peaked on the night of 21-22 October, giving skywatchers a natural light show. At its best, the shower produced between 10 and 20 meteors per hour. The clearest viewing was between midnight and dawn. Some meteors left glowing trails that stayed visible for several seconds after the meteor had gone.

The meteors move extremely fast, entering the atmosphere at around 41 miles per second. They appear to come from the direction of the constellation Orion, but you can spot them anywhere in the sky. No special equipment is needed.

The shower happens every year when Earth travels through dust and rock left behind by Halley's Comet. It continued until 7 November.