Starwatch: look east to catch the zippy Orionids meteor shower

The speed of the shower creates swift, bright streaks across the night sky, at a typical rate of 20 meteors an hour

As seasoned meteor spotters will tell you, each meteor shower has its own peculiar characteristics. Earlier in the month, the Draconids were characterised by their slow-moving meteors. The Orionids, on the other hand, are zippy.

Barrelling into the atmosphere at about 66 km/s, they create swift, bright streaks that linger for a few moments after the meteor has passed. The chart shows the view looking east from London at 00.30 BST in the early hours of 22 October.