Perseid meteor shower heading to Earth next week - when you can see it

The Earth will pass through debris left behind by a comet with it predicted to peak on the night of Thursday, August 12 and into the early hours of August 13.

The meteors will be best viewed from the northern hemisphere. In ideal conditions with no clouds observers could see up to 50 an hour, according to the Royal Astronomical Society.

The meteor shower is often dubbed the best of the year because of how bright and active it is.

During a shower, Earth passes through a cloud of debris left behind by comets, and so many more meteors are seen entering the atmosphere.

The Perseids are associated with Comet 109/P Swift-Tuttle, which last passed near Earth in 1992.

When comets travel close to the sun the heat can lead to disintegration.

When this happens in the Earth’s path around the sun, debris can fall off and head towards the Earth’s atmosphere at high speeds.

Due to the extreme heat, the air around the meteors glows and can leave behind trails of light and fireball explosions.

Dr Robert Massey, deputy executive director of the Royal Astronomical Society, said: “The light of the moon won’t interfere with the shower, so you stand a much better chance of seeing more meteors.

“If there is a full moon in the sky, then you might as well be in the city because it will light up the whole sky, but this year the moon really will help us see more Perseid meteors.”

The best way to see the meteor shower is away from towns, cities and lights and have a clear view of the horizon.

And with the moon in a thin crescent phase, conditions are perfect to catch a glimpse of the lights.

Observers have been advised to plan and check the forecast before in case the weather is unpleasant, so they can travel to a new location or go out on a different day.

The sparkling treat is set to continue over the Northern Hemisphere for a few days after the peak with reduced activity and occurs in July and August every year.