Here's how to watch Halley's Comet cause dazzling Orionid meteor shower over Scotland

Debris from Halley’s Comet will light up the sky on Friday night – here’s how you can make sure to catch it before its too late.

The Orionids meteor shower, often shortened to the Orionids, is the most prolific meteor shower associated with the comet.

It is active throughout all of October, but its peak is expected on Friday night, producing up to 25 meteors every hour and remaining visible until the early hours of Saturday.

STV News weather presenter Philip Petrie has shared his top tips to catch the dazzling phenomenon, even under Scotland’s cloudy skies.

He said: “In order to view the Orionid Meteor Shower, no specialist equipment is needed – just some warm clothes and clear skies, away from any artificial light pollution.

“Unfortunately, on Friday a lot of the country will be under extensive low cloud, mist and murk with plenty of hill fog too.

“The best chance will be under a clear slot between 1am and 3am stretching from Skye across to Aberdeen.”

The shower gets its name from the Orion constellation – one of the brightest groups of stars in the night sky – and is the result of the comet’s journey through space.

Meteoroids from Halley’s Comet strike the Earth’s atmosphere at a speed of 148,000mph, burning up in streaking flashes of light.

As both the Earth and the comet have elliptical orbits around the Sun, the two intersect twice every year, which causes the Orionids.