British stargazers can look forward to a dazzling meteor shower lighting up our skies this week in what is predicted to be the most impressive of annual celestial events
Nasa experts say that as many as 100 shooting stars could fall every hour during the spectacular show, hitting the earth at an incredible 140,000 mph before burning up in our atmosphere.
The storm of meteor activity is set to peak on Thursday night alongside 'near perfect viewing conditions.' Scots have the best chance of seeing the shower clearly with Galloway Forest Dark Sky Park tipped as the place to be. The highest rates of meteor activity are likely to be seen in the early hours of Friday morning.
This year's event is said to be even more spectacular because a new moon this week means there will be no overpowering moonlight to spoil the show.
Nasa experts say the stream of meteor activity is created from the earth travelling through a river of debris from an ancient comet, producing a display of shooting stars called the Perseids.
It is called the Perseids because the stars appear to stream in from the direction of the constellation of Perseus but in fact can appear in any part of the sky.
A Nasa spokesman told The Telegraph that'it promises to be one of the best displays of the year'.
Robin Scagell, vice president of the UK's Society for Popular Astronomy provided some helpful tips for people to make the most of the exciting light show.
"Make yourself comfortable in a deckchair under a clear sky, away from the street lights, and you should soon see a few [shooting stars] streaking across the sky."
Spectacular meteor shower to grace British skies - Yahoo! News UK
HubbleSite - The Telescope - Hubble Essentials - Quick Facts
Nasa experts say that as many as 100 shooting stars could fall every hour during the spectacular show, hitting the earth at an incredible 140,000 mph before burning up in our atmosphere.
The storm of meteor activity is set to peak on Thursday night alongside 'near perfect viewing conditions.' Scots have the best chance of seeing the shower clearly with Galloway Forest Dark Sky Park tipped as the place to be. The highest rates of meteor activity are likely to be seen in the early hours of Friday morning.
This year's event is said to be even more spectacular because a new moon this week means there will be no overpowering moonlight to spoil the show.
Nasa experts say the stream of meteor activity is created from the earth travelling through a river of debris from an ancient comet, producing a display of shooting stars called the Perseids.
It is called the Perseids because the stars appear to stream in from the direction of the constellation of Perseus but in fact can appear in any part of the sky.
A Nasa spokesman told The Telegraph that'it promises to be one of the best displays of the year'.
Robin Scagell, vice president of the UK's Society for Popular Astronomy provided some helpful tips for people to make the most of the exciting light show.
"Make yourself comfortable in a deckchair under a clear sky, away from the street lights, and you should soon see a few [shooting stars] streaking across the sky."
Spectacular meteor shower to grace British skies - Yahoo! News UK
HubbleSite - The Telescope - Hubble Essentials - Quick Facts