Earth is passing through a trail of debris shed by Halley's Comet, and the resulting Orionid meteor shower peaks Wednesday night, Oct. 21, into the early hours of Thursday, Oct.

22. The meteors are among the fastest of any annual shower, striking the atmosphere at roughly 41 miles per second — a figure The Weather Channel and 1News both report — and leaving glowing 'trains' that can linger for seconds or even minutes.

No telescope is required, only a dark sky and your eyes.

The Orionids are one of two major meteor showers fed by Halley's Comet, but a large moon will dim visibility until after it sets late at night, the Associated Press reports. In Washington state, the best views come after the moon sets in the early morning hours on Wednesday, Oct.

21 at 2 a.m. PT, according to the Kitsap Sun article carried by AOL.

Stardome astronomer Josh Aoraki told 1News the bright Moon makes fainter meteors harder to spot, with the best viewing window from about 3 a.m. until sunrise. The hours before dawn offer the best opportunity everywhere.

Expectations should be modest but patient.

NASA estimates observers in suburban areas may see about three to six meteors per hour, while some estimates suggest up to 20 meteors could cross the sky during Wednesday morning's peak — a figure the American Meteor Society also gives for ideal viewing conditions during the Wednesday-night-into-Thursday-morning peak.

Under clear skies in New Zealand, stargazers could see between 10 and 20 meteors per hour, according to 1News. Meteors remain visible for a few weeks before and after the peak, so a cloudy night is not the end of the show.

According to The Weather Channel, much of the central and eastern U.S. is forecast to have clear skies in the early morning hours on Thursday, but there are problem spots.

Thicker cloud cover could spoil the Four Corners region, normally a prime dark-sky area, and parts of California, Oregon and Washington could see clouds, with flooding a concern Wednesday and Thursday in parts of California, Nevada and the Four Corners.

A nor'easter brewing off the East Coast is focused on New York City to New England. In Washington state, the National Weather Service forecasts clear skies across Seattle and Spokane for viewing.

NASA's viewing tips are simple: find an area well away from city or street lights, lie flat on your back with your feet facing southeast, bring a sleeping bag, blanket or reclining lawn chair, and give your eyes about 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness.

The meteors appear to originate near the Orion constellation in the northeastern sky, but NASA recommends taking in a broad stretch of sky since streaks can appear anywhere.

Kitsap Sun lists Washington options including Olympic National Park, Goldendale Observatory, Steamboat Rock State Park and the Theodor Jacobsen Observatory at the University of Washington.

The comet's debris is what Earth collides with each October, producing the fast, bright streaks. The next major meteor shower, the Southern Taurids, is expected to peak Nov.

5, when a crescent moon should make for favorable viewing conditions, the Associated Press reports. If you miss the Orionids, October's Hunter's Moon reaches full phase at 12:11 a.m.

EDT on Monday, Oct. 26, according to Yahoo Creators.