The Perseid meteor shower is set to put on a show just hours after millions of Brits were wowed by the solar eclipse. The shower will be visible from midnight until dawn on Thursday (August 13).
First coincidence in 5,000 years
Meteor showers occur when the Earth moves through space surrounded by comets breaking up. It's thought to be the first time in the world the peak of a shower has coincided with a solar eclipse.
Alfredo Carpineti, space and physics editor at IFL Science and author of the book Invisible Rainbows, said: "It's so exciting to have these two events happening on the same day. I've gone through 5,000 years' worth of eclipse data from NASA, and it looks like Wednesday will be the first time there's an eclipse happening on the same day as the peak of a major meteor shower."
Best viewing tips
Astronomers say it's best to view the shower from a dark countryside hill, where up to 100 comets an hour will be visible.
