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Halley’s Comet is the most famous rock in the Milky Way. Rock’s the wrong word. To be more accurate, it’s a mixture of rocky fragments, ice and dust. With an orbital period of around 75 years, its first recorded sighting was in ancient Greece. A few thousand years later it was stitched onto the Bayeux Tapestry as a symbol of doom for King Harold II. It got its name from astronomer Edward Halley in the 1700s, and the very first photos of it were taken in 1910.
The last time the comet passed Earth was in 1986, and humankind won’t get to see it in the sky again until 2061. This week, however, we will get to witness the next best thing as ‘shooting stars’ created by debris from Halley’s Comet will soar through the night sky.
The spectacle is known at the Orionid meteor shower. Here’s what you need to know if you want to see it for yourself.
What is the Orionids meteor shower?
The Orionids is one of the most reliable and well-known meteor showers in our solar system. It comes around every year and consists of pieces left behind by famous Halley’s Comet.
That debris burns up to create bright streaks of light when they pass through the Earth’s upper atmosphere. According to Royal Museums Greenwich, there will be around 15 meteors that are ‘fast with fine trains’ per hour when this shower peaks.
When will the Orionids meteor shower be visible in the UK?
The shower has actually been active since October 2, so eagle-eyed skywatchers might have spotted a shooting star here or there over the past few weeks. It will remain active until November 2. However, your best chance of seeing the Orionids is when it peaks.
When will the Orioninids peak?
It’ll reach its maximum between midnight and dawn on Wednesday, October 21.
How to watch
As with any other meteor shower, you’ve got to find somewhere with a clear view of the sky, look up and be patient. Make sure there’s minimal light pollution around you and avoid looking at a screen so that your eyes can adjust to the darkness. Also, wrap up nice and warm.
Be warned: conditions won’t be absolutely perfect this year, as the moon will be waxing gibbous on the same night and its brightness could interfere with the meteor shower’s visibility.
Weather forecast
We’re sorry to say, it’s not looking good for most of the UK. The outlook for Wednesday night is predominantly strong winds and spells of rain. However, the BBC says that ‘a brief ridge of high pressure could mean that there is a chance of clear spells for many parts of England, Wales and Northern Ireland for the second half of the night into Thursday morning’.
Royal Museums Greenwich adds that ‘although the Orionid maximum is quoted as 21 October in 2026, in fact there is a broad maximum lasting about a week roughly centred on that date,’ so you can hold out for more favourable weather a little later in the week.
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