The Perseid meteor shower, one of the strongest annual displays, reaches its peak tonight, coinciding with the solar eclipse. Despite the eclipse, UK stargazers will be able to see the meteors.
When to watch the Perseid meteor shower
The shower peaks between August 12 and 13. According to the Royal Museums Greenwich, the best time to watch is between midnight and 5am tomorrow, hours after the partial solar eclipse. The shower will continue until August 24, but the number of meteors will decrease each night.
How to see the Perseids
No telescope or binoculars are needed to view the Perseids, though they can help depending on your location. The shower will be visible across the UK, but a dark location with little light pollution and a clear view of the horizon is recommended. Let your eyes adjust to the dark for about 15 minutes before looking.
The meteors will appear from the direction of the constellation Perseus in the north-eastern sky. Stargazing apps can help locate it. The number of visible meteors depends on location and weather, with clear skies expected in the south of England and cloud further north.
What causes the Perseid meteor shower
The shower originates from debris left by Comet Swift-Tuttle, discovered in 1862 by Lewis Swift and Horace Tuttle. Officially named 109P/Swift-Tuttle, the comet takes 133 years to orbit the Sun. It last reached perihelion in 1992 and will do so again in 2125.
Earth passes through clouds of these particles, which burn up in the atmosphere, creating shooting stars. Smaller meteors vaporise, while larger ones explode as fireballs.
If you miss the eclipse and the meteor shower, the UK will see another full moon at the end of the month.
