How to watch 'most beautiful' meteor shower as it peaks across the skies tonight
Rhianna Benson
Featured Image Credit: Xue Bing/VCG via Getty Images/Ismail Sen/Anadolu via Getty Images
Just days after our social media feeds were flooded with awe-inspiring snaps of the Northern Lights, space experts are warning earth-dwellers about another new astrological phenomenon that is set to arrive tonight.
In fact, they say this particularly mesmerising spectacle - known as an 'Orionids meteor shower' - is much rarer than last week's vibrant light show, and has issued advice as to where onlookers will want to set up their cameras.
If you're anything like me and flunked science at school, worry not - we're here to fill you in on all the need-to-knows when it comes to this exciting cosmological event.
First things first; 'Orionids' describes the types of meteor showers that have come from Comet 1P, othewise known as Halley's Comet.
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They're essentially fragments of rocks that have broken off outside of our atmosphere which leave a path of tiny debris.
The comet only gets close to earth once every 75-75 years, but when this happens, we get to witness an annual falling of these fragments.
When the debris enters earth's atmosphere at 41 miles per second, they are vaporised into even smaller pieces, creating streaks of light through the air.
According to astrologers, these falling meteors - which, FYI, don't actually pose any threat to life - are far from your average shooting star.
"They're known to be some of the most beautiful," experts using the Museum of Science's official TikTok account explained this week.
"Leaving trails in the sky that last from several seconds to minutes."
They added that, for the most part, there will be a total of 10-20 meteors visible to the naked eye per hour - only under the right conditions, however.
A fraction of these streams of light will likely form in the shape of balls of fire, which are known for their bright and bold colours.
Yet, being that some of the smaller meteors will likely be drowned out by the gibbous moon we're currently experiencing (a phase of the moon when it appears bigger than a half-crescent, but not fully circular), experts say it's vital to get to dark skies, away from city lights, in order to see them.
As we say, the Orionids meteor shower happens yearly, but this year's extravaganza actually kicked off last night (20 October).
Experts predict, however, that the light show will be more visible between 21 and 22 October, and that it could even last as long until 7 November.
Experts insist that these asteroids could light up the night skies of witnesses all over the world, are certainly aren't limited to a particular area.
As we say, however, it's super important for those hoping to catch a glimpse at the meteors to retreat to countryside areas - as far away from city light pollution as possible.
"Arrive after midnight," Museum of Science bosses explain. "Give your eyes at least 30 minutes to adjust to the dark.
"Then, look anywhere in the sky."