Perseids meteor shower

Tuesday night promises to be a great opportunity for Western Isles stargazers to see the Perseids meteor shower.

Overcast skies and rain are forecast to obscure the display which reaches its peak this weekend.

A Met Office map shows most people in the Western Isles have a good chance of seeing the shooting stars tonight.

Experts from the Royal Observatory recommend looking outside - in the dark away from lights - to the northeast after 11pm.

A spokesperson said: "Conditions for viewing the shower are favourable this year as the Moon – a natural source of light pollution - will dip below the horizon around midnight."

The Perseids are in "outburst" this summer - the first since 2009 - so double the normal rate will be in action.

Over 120 or even up to 200 meteors an hour could be spotted if skies are clear.

The showers started on 17th July and continues until 24th August. The peak is overnight into Saturday.

The meteors are tiny debris from the comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle being swept up by the Earth at 36 miles per second and burning up into streaks of light in its atmosphere.

Meteor shower promises celestial fireworks display

9 August 2016

Met Office