Sixty shooting stars may be seen each hour, say experts

More than 60 shooting stars could light up the sky every hour tonight, according to astronomy experts.

The Perseids meteor shower happens every year when the Earth passes through a stream of material left by the comet Swift-Tuttle, which last went by in 1992 and will not return for more than 100 years.

“A comet is like a dirty snowball,” says John Flannery of the Irish Astronomical Society. “As it gets nearer the Sun it will heat it up - material vapourises and streams off.

“At certain times of the year we plough through those trails.”

People can see meteors, commonly known as shooting stars, when they break through the Earth’s atmosphere at 60km per second, he points out.

Those interested in watching should find a spot away from street lights with a clear view and look towards the northeast after dark for a period of at least 30 minutes.

You don’t need a telescope or binoculars to enjoy the shower, but Mr Flannery notes a “good clear sky is a must”.

The meteors will appear as bright flashes of light which last a couple of seconds, he adds.

The best display will last from late this evening until early tomorrow morning.

“As the night progresses the constellation will get higher in the sky - meaning you’ll see more meteors,” Mr Flannery says. “Expect to see one meteor every two minutes on average.”

The British Royal Astronomical Society puts this number higher, saying one could be viewable every minute.

The chance to see the Perseids normally lasts for a fortnight, but August 12th/13th is peak time because the Earth passes throught the densest patch of the meteor stream.