Starwatch: Orionid meteor shower to peak on night skies

The annual Orionid meteor shower is set to peak on the night of October 21 to 22, offering stargazers a chance to witness one of the major meteor showers of the year.

Around 20 meteors can be seen per hour under ideal viewing conditions.

The Orionids are active each year from October 2 to November 7.

With a rate of about 10 to 20 meteors per hour, they are considered to be one of the most beautiful showers of the year, according to NASA.

The meteor shower is created by dust and debris left behind by Comet 1P/Halley.

As Earth travels along its orbit around the sun, it passes through particles shed by the comet during its journeys through the inner solar system.

These tiny particles collide with Earth's atmosphere at extremely high speeds, producing the bright streaks of light known as meteors.

As Earth crosses different parts of this debris stream twice each year, the dust grains become two annual meteor showers – the Orionids in October and the Eta Aquariids in May.

"Orionid meteors are known for their brightness and for their speed," said NASA.

They travel at about 66 kilometers per second into Earth's atmosphere.

Some leave glowing trails that last for several seconds to minutes, while particularly bright ones can become fireballs, creating a spectacular sight for observers.

This year's Orionid meteor shower is expected to reach its peak at around 2 a.m. on October 22 Beijing time.

It is viewable in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres.

No telescope or specialized equipment is needed for the observation.