When and how to watch Perseid meteor shower – UK time and locations
The Perseid meteor shower will reach its peak this week as the Earth passes through the debris left behind by the comet Swift-Tuttle (great name, right?).
The meteor shower started in mid-July but reaches its full brightness over the next few days as the Earth passes through the debris between 11th August and 13th August.
The Perseid meteor shower is one of the brightest showers in the celestial calendar, with up to 100 shooting starts an hour to be seen if you’re in the Northern hemisphere.
The actual meteors are small, no bigger than a grain of sand, but we see them as they burn up as they hit the atmosphere – travelling at 36mps leaving a streak of light in the sky.
The shower will be visible from north and south of the equator, but the best view is north. So if you’re in the United States, Europe and Canada you’ll see it best.
If we have a clear night, which it seems it will be with this hot weather, you should be able to see the Perseid meteor shower at around 12am (midnight) UK time to 5.30am.
