Surrey stargazers should get ready to view up to 20 meteors fly through the air per hour this month.

Although the Orionid meteor shower is not as spectacular as the two big annual showers, the Perseids in August and Geminids in December, it should still be possible to see up to 20 "shooting stars" an hour.

The Orionid showers occurs every year in October when the Earth passes through debris created by Halley's Comet as the planet orbits the sun.

What is the Orionid meteor shower?



The meteors or 'shooting stars' are the result of small particles, in some cases as small as a grain of sand, entering the Earth’s upper atmosphere at some 130,000mph and lighting up the nighttime as fast-moving streaks of light.

The Orionid meteor shower
The Orionid meteor shower

When and how can I see the meteors?

The meteor shower is visible throughout October, but peaks in the very early morning of Friday 21 October.

It will be visible until November 7.

The shower will come from the direction of the well-known constellation Orion the Hunter. Hence the name Orionids.


Video Loading

Unfortunately this year the light of the waning gibbous moon may affect the number of meteors you will see.

Just wrap up warm and head outside and find a spot of night sky away from the bright lights of Guildford or Surrey's other towns - and look up.


Perseid Meteor Shower
Perseid Meteor Shower