Watch for Shooting Stars this Weekend

The offspring of Halley's Comet have been putting on quite a show, and the gran finale is about to arrive.

Since Monday, Earth has been passing through a stream of debris from Halley's Comet, which gives us the benefit of the annual Orionids meteor shower.

The best place to view the shower is away from city lights: think Bonny Doon, the great expanse of forests, and up the coast on Highway 1. Throwing a viewing party and want to invite thet public? Add it to the Santa Cruz Patch events calendar.

The shower should be at its peak this Saturday, Oct. 20, until just before dawn on Oct. 21. This year, the moon will be setting at approximately midnight, which will keep the sky darkened enough that—barring cloud cover—you should be able to see up to 15 meteors per hour!

If you plan to watch, check out Earthsky's Top 10 Tips for Meteor Watchers for your maximum viewing pleasure.

Meteor showers get their names from the constellations in the sky where they can be spotted. And what's easier to spot than Orion the Hunter?

The stars tend to shoot from Orion's club, pierce Taurus the Bull, the Gemini twins, Leo the Lion and finally, Canis Major, home of Sirius, the brightest star we can see—well, aside from the sun.

There's also something else that's special about this show: With the second-fastest entry velocity of all the annual meteor showers, meteors from the Orionids produce yellow and green colors and occasionally produce an odd fireball.

To make sure you get the best view possible, remember to check the weather forecast and conditions before you head outside to watch.