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Perseids meteor shower to be obscured by moonlight

Stargazers will have the chance to catch a glimpse of the annual Perseids meteor shower this weekend – but light from a full moon on the night is set to interfere with the celestial spectacle.

The shower can be observed on the night of Friday 12 August and into the early hours of Saturday 13 August.

Ideally, the best time to watch it is during the hours before dawn on Saturday when the full moon is relatively low, and the meteor rate peaks, according to NASA.


Every August, the Earth crosses the trail of dust left behind the Swift Tuttle comet which was last seen in 1992. Even though the comet is long gone, grains of dust from the tail of the comet enter the Earth’s atmosphere at huge speeds and burn up producing the dazzling meteor show.

During clear conditions, hundreds of meteors are visible shooting across the sky every hour.

Speaking with Yahoo! News today, Dr John Mason, Director of the Meteor Section at the British Astronomical Association, said that this year is unfortunately a bad year to watch the much-anticipated spectacle.

He said: “The full moon will make the event almost non-existent as it will shine all night long, but there will be a few brighter meteors towards dawn.”

However, despite the astronomical event expected to be a write-off in the UK, the meteor expert said he would still be stargazing from France.

Top tips for watching the Perseids

1. Find a rural area away from street lights and pollution. The National Trust website lists the best spots to go stargazing, including Stonehenge and the Lake District. For a complete list, click here.

2. Look in the opposite direction to the moon and ensure an object such as a building or tree hides the moon to prevent the glare from the moonlight.

3. Allow at least 20 minutes for your eyes to become fully adapted to the dark.

4. Have patience. Meteors tend to come in bunches, with long quiet periods in between. Spend at least an hour or two watching, if you want to be sure of catching as many meteors as possible.

5. The best conditions to watch the shower are clear skies, so check your local weather forecast to find out where you can avoid the clouds.

6. Finally, the best views of the Perseids are expected in the hours before dawn when light from the full moon doesn’t obscure the spectacle as much.