Skywatchers in the Kingdom can look forward to the peak of the Orionid meteor shower from next Wednesday evening until dawn on Thursday. The annual shower occurs as Earth passes through debris and dust left by Halley's Comet along its orbit, with the particles burning up in the atmosphere at high speed as brief streaks of light.

The Noor Astronomy Society said the Orionids are active through October into early November, with the best chances around the peak. They can be seen with the naked eye from dark locations, and some may appear bright or leave a glowing trail.

Society President Essa Al-Ghufaili said the shower lets observers see traces of Halley's Comet, which last came close to Earth about 40 years ago, in 1406 AH, and will not return for about 36 years, in 1484 AH. Each meteor is a tiny fragment of material the comet shed tens or hundreds of years ago.

He noted that the name does not mean the meteors come from the Orion constellation; their paths only appear to spread out from a point in that direction, known as the radiant.

The hours after midnight until shortly before dawn are best for viewing, without a telescope, from a dark spot away from direct light, giving the eyes time to adjust. This year the peak coincides with a waxing gibbous moon, whose glare may hide fainter meteors, and the society advises scanning a wide area of sky rather than focusing on Orion alone.