Perseid meteor shower: When and how to watch the celestial spectacle
The Perseid shower can contain 50 to 100 meteors per hour, and has been described by Nasa as the 'most popular meteor shower of the year'.
Here is everything you need to know about how and when to catch the display in the skies above Britain.
What is the Perseid meteor shower?
Meteor showers occur when Earth passes through a stream of meteoroids, which are pieces of debris left behind by a comet.
In the case of the Perseid shower, the comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle has passed through the solar system and left a giant, invisible trail of space debris.
Upon coming into contact with the Earth's atmosphere, the debris burns up – creating bright, fiery streaks which we can see.
The Perseid shower – named after Perseus, the constellation that the meteors are believed to originate from – are also known for their fireballs.
These are characterised by larger explosions of light and colour which stay in the sky for longer than the average meteor streak.
What time will it be visible?
The Perseid shower has been active since July 17 and will continue until Aug 24.
Your best chance of catching a glimpse is from midnight on Tuesday until the early hours of Wednesday.
Where is the best place to watch?
Visibility of this year's Perseid meteor shower may be hindered by the Sturgeon Moon – the name given to the August full moon – which will continue to illuminate the night sky on Tuesday.
Stargazers in northern England, East Anglia and the Midlands are expected to have clear skies throughout the night, with some cloudy spots in Northern Ireland as well as the south coast and north-west of England.
To give yourself the best chance of seeing the phenomenon, avoid areas with lots of lights, such as towns and cities, which can create a glare and obscure your view.
Lying down with a view of the whole sky gives you the best chance of spotting meteors. Ensure you give your eyes time to adjust to the darkness – it can take about 20 minutes for them to adapt.
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