How can I see the Orionid meteor shower in October and November?

The Orionids meteor shower will be visible in the skies for the next month - and, with clear skies forecast, ITV News Anglia weather presenter Aisling Creevey says it could be a good time for a little star gazing.

What is a meteor shower?

A meteor shower is created from pieces of comet debris. As the earth passes through the path of a comet, the debris from the comet can be seen lighting up in the night's sky.

The light we see comes from the debris burning up in the Earth's atmosphere. This can be particularly spectacular where there are clear skies for long periods.

Why is it called the Orionid meteor shower?

The Orionid meteor is so called because the point the shower appears to come from -called the radiant - lies in the constellation of Orion.

The comet debris comes from Hayley's comet, which orbits the sun every 76 years or so and was last seen in 1986.

Halley's comment was the first comet to be observed in detail by spacecraft, providing vital information to scientists.

What can I expect to see?

Between 2 October and 7 November, 'shooting stars' could be visible in the skies - with the possibility of 10 to 20 meteors per hour at its peak.

The best time to view the meteors is after midnight until just before dawn when viewing conditions will become insufficient as the sun rises.

As the Earth starts to move into the trail of the comet debris the number of meteors will be variable but we are expecting them to peak around 20 October.

As with all star gazing, the weather will play a role in what you might see but even on a cloudy night, there are often breaks in the cloud long enough to see a meteor.

Top tips for star gazing

Wrap up! At this time of year we lose on average about four minutes of daylight each day. This translates to cold nights and the influence of wind direction can be quite noticeable.

Allow time for your eyes to adjust to the darkness.

Find somewhere where light pollution is at a minimum - it is ideal to have limited if no light pollution.

Th next step is the easiest, which is to sit, watch and wait - while staying warm - looking to the south-east of the sky.

What's the forecast for the next few days?

After a soaking September and a wet start to October, the weather is due to settle down with plenty of opportunities to view the Orionids over the next few nights.

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