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Living in London comes with countless perks, but one downside of the capital is that we rarely get to see celestial spectacles. Light pollution, high rises and smog mean that it can often be difficult to get a clear view of the night sky – but sometimes, we get lucky.
If you’re hoping to see a shooting star from the streets of London, next week will be the best opportunity to do so. It’s when the Perseids – the biggest and brightest meteor shower of the year – peak.
The Perseids have actually been soaring through our skies for a few weeks now, so you may have spotted a few meteors already. However, it will reach its peak (or ‘maximum’), the moment that the highest number of shooting stars are visible, in mid-August. Here’s what you need to know ahead of the big event.
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⭐️ Viewing tips
What is the Perseids meteor shower?
Meteor showers are made up of debris from comets hurtling around our solar system. Some of that debris will hit our planet’s atmosphere at speeds of up to 45 miles per second and vaporise, leaving bright streaks of light behind them that we can see from Earth.
The Perseids meteor shower stems from a comet called 109P/Swift-Tuttle and has been dazzling humans since at least the year 69BC. At its peak it has around 125 vivid meteors per hour. Royal Museums Greenwich calls the Perseids ‘one of the best meteor showers of the year’.
When will the Perseids peak?
The Perseids will hit their maximum overnight on Wednesday August 12 into Thursday August 13.
Will they be visible from London?
Yep! Just as long as weather conditions are good (more on the forecast below).
What is the best time to see the Perseids meteor shower?
According to Royal Museums Greenwich, the ideal time to look out for the Perseids will be between midnight and 5am when the moon is below the horizon.
How can I watch?
Find a spot that gives you an uninterrupted view of the sky with minimal light pollution (but bear in mind that most London parks shut after the sun goes down), give your eyes 15 minutes or so to adjust to the darkness, look up and be patient. Don’t bother with binoculars or a telescope as they’ll limit the amount of sky visible to you.
What will the weather conditions be like?
It’s slightly too early to say for sure what conditions will be like next Wednesday. At the moment, it looks as though there may be a little cloud coverage – but not too much to rule stargazing out.
When is the next meteor shower?
After Perseids, the next meteor shower is the much smaller Draconids, which will peak on October 9.
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