RIYADH: It is a good time to be a skygazer as the annual Orionids meteor shower is at its peak in the coming hours.
The event, which happens 60 miles up in space, is one of the most impressive displays of the celestial calendar, and is known for being bright and fast.
The Jeddah Astronomy Society said the skies over Saudi Arabia and the Arab region will witness the meteor shower at its peak. It is expected to be clearly visible in the pre-dawn hours when its radiant point is high in the sky toward the southeastern horizon.
Majed Abu Zahra, the director at the JAS, said that the conditions this year were ideal for observation with the moon setting before dawn, allowing for dark skies that will make it easier to spot the shower, which is typically active from Oct. 2 to Nov. 7 each year, peaking for a week around Oct. 22.
He added that the Orionids were considered to be a moderate meteor shower, with around 20 meteors visible per hour from locations away from city lights.
