Tim McCollum captured a stunning view of Orionid meteors in the early hours of Oct. 21. (Image credit: Tim McCollum)

Astrophotographer Tim McCollum captured a spectacular view of Orionid meteors sharing the night sky with a host of deep sky wonders on Oct. 21, as the annual shooting star display ramped up to peak activity.

Comet 1P/Halley may be over 3 billion miles (4.8 kilometers) from Earth , but that didn't stop it from putting on a breathtaking display earlier this week, as particles cast off by the ancient wanderer carved a fiery path through the autumn sky.

McCollum was able to capture a trio of vivid Orionid meteors as they streaked through the night sky above the city of Toccoa, Georgia, between 3-4 a.m. on Oct. 21. Each of the shooting stars can be seen racing away from the shower's apparent point of origin — or radiant — which is located close to the red giant star Betelgeuse in the constellation Orion .

Successfully imaging a shooting star takes a combination of skill, luck and patience.…