The Perseid meteor shower will reach its peak just hours after the UK's biggest partial solar eclipse in almost three decades, offering a spectacular double celestial event for skywatchers.
The annual meteor shower, regarded as one of the brightest and most reliable displays of shooting stars, will be most active overnight on August 12 into August 13. Under ideal conditions, as many as 150 meteors an hour could streak across the night sky.
Best time to watch
The Royal Observatory Greenwich says people in the UK could begin spotting meteors as soon as the Sun sets because the Perseids' radiant remains above the horizon. However, the best viewing window is expected to be between midnight and 5.30am on August 13.
This year's peak coincides with a new Moon, creating ideal dark-sky conditions for observing the shower. The Observatory notes that moonlight often acts as natural light pollution, but that will not be a problem this year.
How to improve your chances
Experts recommend planning ahead and checking the weather forecast before heading out. For the clearest view, skywatchers should seek out areas with as little light pollution as possible, such as the countryside or a local park.
Allowing your eyes around 15 minutes to adjust to the darkness can make fainter meteors easier to spot, while avoiding looking at a phone screen. The Observatory advises finding an open location with a clear view of the horizon and says binoculars or telescopes are unnecessary because meteors can appear anywhere in the sky.
A stargazing app can also help locate the constellation Perseus, from which the meteors appear to originate.
What causes the Perseid meteor shower?
The Perseids are created when Earth passes through debris left behind by Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. As the tiny fragments enter Earth's atmosphere at extremely high speeds, the air in front of them becomes intensely compressed and heated, causing the particles to burn up.
Smaller pieces vaporise completely, leaving bright streaks of light across the night sky, while larger fragments can produce spectacular fireballs. The Perseids are considered one of the year's most impressive meteor showers because they regularly produce bright meteors, long glowing trails and a high number of visible shooting stars.
The Royal Observatory Greenwich describes the annual event as one of the highlights of the astronomical calendar for meteor enthusiasts.
Myths and legends behind the Perseids
The Perseid meteor shower has inspired myths and folklore for centuries across different cultures. According to Greek mythology, the meteors are linked to the hero Perseus, who famously slew the Gorgon Medusa before marrying Andromeda. The name "Perseids" comes from the Greek word "Perseides", meaning the descendants of Perseus.
In some Catholic traditions, the annual display is also known as the "Tears of St Lawrence" because the shower's peak falls close to the feast day of the Christian martyr. Ancient Romans, meanwhile, associated the event with the fertility god Priapus, believing the annual meteor shower marked a time when he blessed the fields.
