The Orionid meteor shower peaks this week. Here's when Australians should look up

Key points

• The Orionid meteor shower is forecast to peak early on Thursday morning, with the best viewing expected between 3am and 4am AEDT. University of Southern Queensland astronomer Jonti Horner says a bright moon may hide many faint meteors, reducing visible numbers by as much as half.
• He advises waiting until the moon sets.
• Horner describes the Orionids as a warm-up for the Geminid meteor shower, expected to peak around 14 December, which can produce up to 150 meteors an hour.