When and how you can watch Halley's Comet light up the night sky this October

Eyes to the skies! We're in for a month-long meteor shower thanks to dust from Halley's Comet.
Don't miss Halley's night-time spectacleDon't miss Halley's night-time spectacle
Don't miss Halley's night-time spectacle

The Orionid meteor shower is visible until November 7 with its peak expected on the night of October 20 into the morning of October 21.

At its height, up to 20 meteors are visible every hour.

The best time to view the Orionids is just after midnight and right before dusk.

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A Met Office spokesman urged residents to wrap up warm, go outside, lie back and look up.

The spokesman said: “To see the meteor shower, you don’t need a telescope, binoculars or any other equipment – all you need is your eyes.

“Find a spot away from bright lights and let your eyes get used to the dark – this will take about 15 to 20 minutes.”

The spokesman added: “Orionid meteors are known to be very fast, travelling at about 41 miles per second, and typically on the faint side, although with clear, dark skies you still have a good chance of spotting one with its persistent, long trail.

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“The Orionid meteor shower is named as such because it appears to radiate from the constellation Orion, which is one of the most visible and recognisable in the sky throughout the world.”

The Orionid meteor shower is one of two created by debris from Halley’s Comet. It takes around 76 years to make a complete revolution around the sun. and will next be visible from earth in 2061.