A beautiful show of shooting stars is starting in the night sky. People around the world can watch the Perseid meteor shower from July 17 to August 24. It is one of the brightest and most active meteor showers of the year.
The best time to watch the show is during the night of August 12 to August 13. During this time, the sky will be very dark because there is a new Moon. If the weather is clear, you can see up to 150 meteors every hour.
What is a meteor shower?
A meteor shower happens when small pieces of dust from a comet enter the Earth's atmosphere. These pieces are very small, like grains of sand. When they burn in the air, they make bright lines of light across the sky. The Perseid shower is also famous for very big and bright meteors called fireballs.
How to watch it
You do not need a telescope or binoculars to see the meteors. Here are some tips to get the best view:
- Find a dark place: Go away from city lights. The darker the sky is, the more meteors you will see.
- Look at the whole sky: The meteors come from a part of the sky near the constellation Perseus, but they can fly anywhere.
- Wait in the dark: Sit outside for about 15 minutes so your eyes can get used to the dark.
- Watch at the right time: In the Northern Hemisphere, the best time to look is between midnight and one hour before sunrise.
Weather forecast for this weekend
The meteor shower begins this weekend. If you are in the UK, the best places to watch are inland and in the west. These areas will have dry weather and only a few clouds. However, eastern coasts and northern Scotland might have more clouds and fog, which will make it hard to see the stars.