Last year's Perseids meteor shower over Macedonia But, some lucky stargazers may have already spotted shooting stars as they have been visible since July 17 and will continue to light up the sky sporadically until August 24.
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The Perseid shower peaks on August 12 and 13 when as many as 60 to 70 meteors will be visible every hour, according to NASA.
When is the best time to look for the Perseid meteor shower in the UK?
Last year's shower lights up the sky over Minsk
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According to Royal Museums Greenwich, the best time to see anything in the night sky is when the sky is darkest and when the target is at its highest position in the sky. For meteor showers, this usually occurs between midnight and the very early hours of the morning.
Therefore, the best time to view the meteor display is from midnight - 5:30am.
Where can I watch the Perseid meteor shower in London?
The Perseids fall over northern Spain
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You should be able to watch the meteor shower from anywhere, but there are a number of factors which influence its visibility.
If possible, head to an open space, such as a park. Give your eyes at least 15 minutes to adjust to the dark so you can catch some of the fainter meteors.
To get the best view, find a spot away from trees and buildings.
For Londoners, Hampstead Heath and Richmond Park are the best places to see the display.
August 2018: Perseid Meteor Shower - In pictures
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What causes the meteor shower?
The Perseid meteor shower pictured over Germany in 2015
Daniel Reinhardt/EPA
The meteors, mostly no bigger than a grain of sand, burn up as they hit the atmosphere at 58 kilometres [36 miles] per second to produce a shooting stream of light in the sky.
Seen from the Earth, the Perseids appear to originate from one place in the north-east known as the "radiant" which happens to be near the constellation Perseus.
The meteors will visible for longer when viewed streaking away from their point of origin.
Because the density of the dust cloud varies, the meteors will not be evenly spaced out. At certain times they could be close together and at others seem to disappear.
