Astronomy fanatics it's time to get prepared – the Orionid meteor shower is here.

Each October, Earth sails through a trail of dust left behind by Halley’s Comet, and those tiny grains hit our atmosphere, lighting up as fleeting streaks of brilliance. But here’s the catch: if you want the best view, timing is everything. If you missed the meteor shower in July 2025, here's how you can catch a glimpse of the Orionid Shower before it finishes.

When is it happening? Yes, the shower will be visible after the peak on 22 October

The Orionids hit their peak in the early hours of Wednesday 22 October 2025. The real sweet spot will be between 4–5am.

That’s when Earth is ploughing through the densest part of Halley’s debris trail. And this year, the new moon is perfectly timed – meaning a darker sky and an even better backdrop for spotting shooting stars.

Yes, it’s early, but that’s when the “radiant point” of the shower – the spot where meteors appear to fan out from – climbs higher in the sky. For Australians, that point sits just below Betelgeuse, the fiery red star marking Orion’s shoulder. If you know “The Saucepan,” you’re already halfway to finding it.

Does this mean you missed the spectacle if you weren't up in the wee hours on Wednesday? Don’t panic. The Orionids will linger until November 7. They won't be as vibrant as they were on the 21-22 peack, but you still will be able to see some shooting stars as they streak across the sky.

How many will you see?

Patience is your best accessory. Under dark, rural skies in Northern Australia, you could spot up to 20 meteors an hour. Southern stargazers might catch closer to a dozen. And no, they won’t politely line up at six-minute intervals. You might wait 20 minutes with nothing, then suddenly get a flurry of two or three. That unpredictability is part of the charm.

Why mornings beat evenings?

Meteor showers are a pre-dawn spectacle for a reason: by the early hours, your part of Earth is turned directly into the stream of space debris, upping your odds of a sighting. Stay out long enough, and you’ll see the difference as the sky tilts toward sunrise.

How to see it and make sure you get the best view

Skip the city lights, give your eyes 20 minutes to adjust, and, most importantly, keep your phone pocketed if you can. Then lean back, face northeast, and let the night sky do the rest.