The best day to see the “most popular meteor shower of the year” is just round the corner.
The Perseids shower can bring up to 100 meteors per hour at its peak – including bright streaks and fireballs – creating a spectacular site for stargazers.
Here is everything you need to know, from increasing your chances of seeing meteors to why it happens in the first place.
Pic: Reuters
Why does the Perseids meteor shower happen?
The phenomenon has been recurring for centuries and is the result of Earth passing through a cloud of dust left behind the Comet Swift-Tuttle.
The meteors, which are typically no bigger than a grain of sand, burn up as they hit the Earth’s atmosphere at 36 miles per second, producing bright trails of light.
Perseids – named after Perseus, the constellation that the meteors are believed to originate from – are also known for their fireballs.
This is characterised by larger explosions of light and colour which stay in the sky for longer than the average meteor streak.
It has been described by NASA as the “most popular meteor shower of the year”.
The meteor shower and Northern Lights were visible in North Yorkshire last year. Pic: PA
When is the best day to see it?
The meteor shower has been active from 17 July and will go on until 24 August, according to the Royal Observatory.
However, the number of meteors is expected to increase every night until it reaches its peak on 12 August.
On this day, observers in the UK should be able to see some meteors as soon as the Sun sets, but the Royal Observatory says the best time to look up is between midnight on 11 August and 5.30am.
A bonus for people trying to catch the meteor shower, Jupiter and Venus will also appear at their closest on the 11 and 12 August.
NASA says on the morning of the 12th, the two planets will be roughly a degree apart and will shine brightest before sunrise.
The light from the moon could make it harder to see the meteors. Pic: Reuters
Why the moon matters
The peak of this year’s Perseids shower may be hindered by the moon being at 84% brightness.
NASA says the glare of the moon is expected to wash out the brightest meteors, but all is not lost.
Keen stargazers may still be able to see the action by standing behind a tall building or tree to block out some of the moonlight.
A view of last year’s Perseid meteor shower in Georgia. Pic: Reuters
Tips for stargazers
Unsurprisingly, experts say observers should still try to avoid well-lit and built-up areas and try to find unobstructed views to make the most of the spectacle.
Meteorite expert Dr Ashley King, from London’s Natural History Museum, said standing on a hill in the middle of the countryside or going to the coast are typically ideal meteor viewing locations.
He adds that the skies may look blank for the first 10 minutes while your eyes adjust to the dark, so warned stargazers to be patient.
Using a red light torch can also help, as it will not strain your eyes while they get used to the dark.
He said: “Once you get used to the low light levels, you’ll begin to notice more and more. So don’t give up too quickly.”
