Everything you need to know about the Draconid meteor shower

Calling all stargazers and space fans.

You may want to look to the skies over the next few days, as it's a pretty special week.

October brings two spectacular meteor showers - the Orionids and the Draconids - both of which reach their peak at different points during the month.

This year, the Draconid meteor shower takes place between Tuesday 6 October and Saturday 10 October.

Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about the Draconids and how best to see it.

The Draconid meteor shower is named after the constellation Draco - meaning the Dragon.

Meteor showers are caused when the Earth travels through a cloud of cometary debris - dust, rocks and ice.

In this case, the Draconid meteor shower comes from the debris of comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner.

The meteors enter the atmosphere at incredibly high speeds, ranging from around 7 miles to 45 miles per second.

Earth passes close to the orbit of this comet in early October each year.

The Draconid meteor shower can only be visible from the northern hemisphere, which is the northern half of the Earth.

However, you can still expect to see a few meteors streak across the sky.

The rate of meteors during the shower's peak depends upon which part of the comet's trail the Earth's orbit meets on any given year.

According to the Royal Observatory Greenwich, this year's Draconid meteor shower will take place between Tuesday 6 October and Saturday 10 October.

It is due to peak on on the evening of Friday 9 October.

Although the Draconids are generally a more low-key display compared to some of the larger showers later on in the year, they can be full of surprises.

Unlike most other meteor showers that are best seen in the early hours of the morning, the Draconids are actually best seen in the early evening, after the sun has set.

Once you know when a meteor shower is happening, you don't need a lot of fancy equipment like a telescope.

You just need a clear night with no clouds, warm clothes and some patience.

It's important to wrap up warm, as you might be sitting still for a long time - don't get cold.

Get in a comfy position, perhaps lying back on a chair, so you don't strain your neck, turn off any lights you can and go to the darkest part of the garden.

Give your eyes about 20 minutes to adjust to the darkness, then sit back, keep watching and enjoy.

Happy meteor hunting.