Meteor Shower To Light Up Britain's Skies

The skies above Britain will be the scene of a celestial fireworks show tonight as part of an annual meteor shower.

Perfect weather conditions mean that many will be able to see the Perseid shower in all its glory.

The cosmic phenomenon occurs every August when the Earth passes through a swarm of dusty particles from the Swift-Tuttle comet.

No bigger than a grain of sand, the particles burn up as they hit the atmosphere, producing trails of light that shoot across the sky.

It is expected to peak at around 11pm and continue through the night.

Those in the countryside will have a clear sight of the shower, but even those in cities affected by light-pollution will be treated to as many as 10 meteors an hour.

For those who want to get the most spectacular views Stonehenge in Wiltshire and Mam Tor in the Peak District near Sheffield are the places to be.

Cloudy skies could obstruct the view for people in northern Scotland and eastern parts of England though.

Jo Burgon, of the National Trust, said: "Seeing stars in their full splendour, shining bright in the sky above you, is one of the unofficial wonders of the natural world.

"The intrusive glow of street lighting or a bright moon can be detrimental to a good meteor experience.

"But with a good weather forecast, this year's Perseids display could be a cracker, and not one to be missed."

The Royal Astronomical Society and British Astronomical Association will use Twitter to produce an online "meteor map" to show where the most meteors are being seen.

"Meteorwatch is the perfect opportunity for astronomers and non-astronomersnalike to come together to experience this wonder of our Solar System," said organiser and amateur astronomer Adrian West.

"We hope that thousands of people will get outside and look up this week."