Orionids meteor shower coming this weekend. Here's where to look to see a shooting star

Watch the skies this weekend. There's another celestial show coming to Ohio.

This year has already seen a total solar eclipse , several visits from the northern lights , the " devil comet " and a temporary " mini-moon ." Now, it's time for the Orionids meteor shower.

Here's how you can watch.

When is the Orionids meteor shower?

The Orionids, caused by the dust and debris left behind by Halley's Comet , are active from Sept. 26 through Nov. 22, according to NASA .

When does the Orionid meteor shower peak?

The peak of the Orionid meteor shower is Oct. 21, per NASA. This year, NASA's Watch the Skies blog writes that they can be best viewed on the mornings of Sunday, Oct. 20, and Monday, Oct. 21.

What time is the Orionid meteor shower?

The Orionids are best viewed from midnight until dawn on Oct. 20 and 21, per NASA, unless cloudy skies or a bright moon obscure the show.

Where to look for the Orionids meteor shower?

To watch the meteor shower, NASA recommends finding a dark spot away from streetlights or the lights of the city. Bring a blanket and lay flat on your back, with your feet pointing southeast. Look up, taking in as much of the sky as you can. In 30 minutes or less, your eyes will have adjusted to the dark, and you will begin to see meteors, or shooting stars.

What is a shooting star?

Merriam-Webster defines a shooting star as "a visual meteor appearing as a temporary streak of light in the night sky."

The Orionids take their name from the constellation Orion. Here's why

The point in the sky where the Orionid meteors appear to come from, called the radiant, is the constellation Orion, per NASA. That's where the Orionids get their name. However, the radiant is only a guide to help those watching know which meteor shower they are seeing on a given night.

Orionids caused by Halley's Comet

The Orionid meteor shower is caused by Halley's Comet , which takes 76 years to orbit the sun and was last seen in 1986.

Each time Halley's Comet returns to the inner solar system, it sheds ice and dust from its nucleus, per NASA. That dust becomes the Orionids in October and the Eta Aquarids in May when it collides with the Earth's atmosphere.

When is Halley's Comet coming back around?

According to NASA, Halley's Comet is not expected to return to the inner solar system until 2061.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Orionids meteor shower coming this weekend. Here's where to look to see a shooting star