What time is the Perseid meteor shower tonight in UK? When to see Perseids 2022 and August supermoon

The ideal time to catch a glimpse of the meteor shower is just after midnight when the sky will be at its darkest
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The Perseid meteor shower will be lighting up the night’s sky in the UK this weekend.

Taking place in July and August every year, the meteor shower offers up to 50 or 100 meteors every hour.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Here’s everything you need to know about how to catch a glimpse of the Perseid meteor shower.

A meteor streaks across the sky during the Perseid meteor shower (Pic: NASA via Getty Images)A meteor streaks across the sky during the Perseid meteor shower (Pic: NASA via Getty Images)
A meteor streaks across the sky during the Perseid meteor shower (Pic: NASA via Getty Images)

What is the Perseid meteor shower?

The Perseid meteor shower is caused by the Swift-Tuttle comet, which hasn’t been seen since 1992.

The comet takes a staggering 133 years to orbit the sun and won’t be visible again until 2125.

Meteor showers are caused by the debris of comets, when the rocks enter the Earth’s atmosphere they burn up quickly, causing them to have a vivid appearance and even a tail.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Known for its quantity, the Perseid shower boasts a rate of up to 100 meteors an hour and features vivid fireballs which light up the sky.

Nasa describes the Perseid meteor shower as having “swift and bright meteors” that “leave long “wakes” of light and colour behind them as they streak through Earth’s atmosphere.”

They add: “The Perseids are one of the most plentiful showers with about 50 to 100 meteors seen per hour. They occur with warm summer night-time weather allowing sky watchers to comfortably view them.”

When is the Perseid meteor shower?

The Perseid meteor shower falls between July and August every year.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In 2022, it will light up the night’s sky between 17 July to the 24th August.

The number of meteors will gradually increase until the shower hits it peak, which is expected to fall between Friday 12 and Saturday 13 August.

The meteor shower is famous for its bright and active displays.

What time does it peak?

The Perseid meteor shower is expected to peak between Friday 12th August and Saturday 13th August.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The ideal time to catch a glimpse of the shower is just after midnight when the sky is at its darkest.

It’s also important to ensure that you are in an area free from light pollution.

What are the conditions?

Whislt skies are looking to be clear on Friday (12 August) night, the peak of the Perseid meteor shower also coincides with the August full moon.

Moonlight can make watching meteor showers tricky, as the additional light drowns out the dazzling display.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

On a normal evening during the peak, you can expect to see a rate of 100 meteors every hour, however, with the moonlight cover it is unlikely that many will be visible.

Where can you see the Perseid Meteor shower in the UK?

The meteor shower will be visible throughout the UK, with the best visibility in the countryside, away from busy cities filled with light pollution.

You do not need a telescope or binoclours and can watch the meteors with your naked eye.

According to the Nasa, stargazers can expect to see up to 50 or 100 meteors an hour.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The meteors tend to appear from the constellation of Perseus, which is who they are named after.

However, they can be visible anywhere, so it’s important to find a spot with a panoramic view of the sky.

There will be issues with visibility due to the glare from the August full moon which is taking place on 11 August.

If you are unable to watch the meteor shower or cannot see it due to poor visibility, Nasa Meteor Watch will be offering a live stream of the event on their Facebook page.

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.