One of the best shooting star displays of the year is active and set to peak, giving UK stargazers some amazing views.
The annual meteor shower takes place over several weeks but will peak above London on Sunday, according to experts at the skywatching site In The Sky.
But what is it, how does it form and how does it happen every year?
Here’s how you can best get a glimpse at the shooting stars above the capital this summer.
What is the Perseid meteor shower?
The Perseids are known as an annual meteor shower, which comes around every year but can be clearer in some years more than others because of the time they are expected to peak and the conditions at that time.
Meteor showers happen when the Earth slams into debris originating from comets and asteroids. Shooting stars are seen whenever one of these pieces of debris collides with the Earth’s atmosphere.
Some parts of dense streams stay in the same place in the Earth’s atmosphere, which means astronomers and scientists can predict annual meteor showers when the Earth passes that particular point in its orbit.
When is the Perseid meteor shower for 2023?
The Perseid meteor shower is active every year from mid-July to late August.
What time is best to see the Perseid meteor shower?
The brightest point of the meteor show is highest in the sky just after dawn, so Londoners may want to get up early to catch a glimpse.
Experts said it will culminate at around 7am on August 13 above the UK, so the shower is likely to produce its best displays from before dawn to 5.30am.
Royal Museums Greenwich said: “The radiant of the Perseids is actually always above the horizon as seen from the UK, which means that observers in the UK should be able to see some meteors as soon as the Sun sets. Therefore, it is worth looking up in the early evening.
“It is always favourable to try and spot meteors when the Moon is below the horizon or when it is in its crescent phase, because otherwise it will act as natural light pollution and will prevent the fainter meteors from being visible.”
Why is it called the Perseid meteor shower?
Royal Museums Greenwich said it is called the Perseids because the meteors seem to originate from the constellation of Perseus. Astronomers call this point the meteor shower’s radiant.
How can I watch?
The view will be clearest at this point, as it is when the Earth’s rotation will turn London to “face optimally” towards the direction of the incoming meteors, which will in turn maximise the showers that move vertically downwards.
2023 will be a good year for the Perseids as the moon will only be 10% illuminated, making the view clearer than normal.
On average, you can expect to see up to 100 meteors per hour during the Perseid’s peak, according to Nasa.
Experts say to best see the Perseids, go to the darkest possible location, lean back and relax.
Space. com says: “You don’t need any telescopes or binoculars as the secret is to take in as much sky as possible and allow about 30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark.”
Myths, legends and associations with the Perseid meteor shower
Perseus was a Greek mythological hero who beheaded the Gorgon Medusa and later married Andromeda.
He and Andromeda had nine children together and the word Perseids is derived from the Greek word “Perseides”, which refers to Perseus’ descendants.
In Catholic traditions, the Perseids is also known as “the tears of St Lawrence”, due to its peak roughly coinciding with the date the saint achieved martyrdom.
