Next week, the annual Orionid meteor shower will give rise to around 20 meteors passing across the night sky every hour.

The shower is caused by debris left behind by Halley’s Comet as the comet passes through the solar system. As it comes within reach of the the sun’s radiation, particles of ice, rock and dust are blown off creating the comet’s tail and debris field, which in turn is illuminated by the sun.

As the earth passes through this debris, it enters the earth’s atmosphere and burns up.

Halley’s Comet is the only comet regularly visible to the naked eye and returns into view once every 75 years. The last time it appeared was in 1986, with the next viewing expected in 2061. However, after the comet leaves the solar system, the debris field is left behind, meaning that each year the Earth passes through this lingering debris creating the annual display.

The shower is visible throughout the month, but experts say the peak time to view it in 2025 will be the early morning hours before dawn on Tuesday/Wednesday, October 21/22.