The Draconid meteor shower peaks on the night of Thursday, October 8, into Friday, October 9, offering skywatchers a rare evening show.

Unlike most meteor showers, the Draconids are best watched in the evening rather than before dawn. The radiant point sits in the constellation Draco, which is highest in the northern sky shortly after dark.

Experts suggest heading out after sunset on October 8, looking toward the north and northwest, and giving eyes 20 to 30 minutes to adjust. No telescope or binoculars are needed. About five to ten meteors an hour are expected under dark skies.

This year brings ideal conditions. The moon is a thin crescent that sets before sunset, and the new moon arrives on October 10, leaving the sky fully dark.

The Draconids come from debris of comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner. They travel at about 20 km per second, slow by meteor standards, producing long, graceful streaks. The shower is unpredictable and produced rare outbursts of hundreds an hour in 1933 and 1946.

The shower remains active from October 6 to 10. Later this month, the Orionids peak on October 21 and 22.