The best places to watch the Leonids meteor shower in the UK

Up to 20 meteors an hour are expected to streak across the sky during the Leonids meteor shower during Thursday night and Friday morning.

Stargazers are urged to watch the skies at between 9pm on Thursday and 3.40am on Friday as that is when the display peaks in the UK. According to Meteorwatch, another peak is expected to occur at 11pm on Friday with similar rates.

However, this year’s event could be hampered as the Leonids fall during the last quarter moon – which sits just to the right of the radiant of the Leonids in the constellation of Leo. These conditions could obscure much of the anticipated meteor shower.

The Leonids are seen every year in November, when the Earth passes through a cloud of debris trailing the Tempel-Tuttle comet, which orbits the sun every 33 years.

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The tail of the Tempel-Tuttle comet leaves behind grains of dust which enter the Earth’s atmosphere and burn at huge speeds, producing the dazzling spectacle.

Historically, the Leonids has produced some of the most spectacular meteor showers in history. One meteor storm in 1966 produced as many as thousands of meteors an hour.

Top viewing tips

1. Find a rural area away from street lights and pollution. The National Trust has listed some of the best spots on its Website, including Stonehenge. We’ve rounded up some of the best stargazing hotspots from different areas of the UK below.

2. Generally higher elevations are better at observing meteor showers than lower elevations, as are open spaces like a field or golf course.

3. 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.

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

5. 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.

The best places to watch the Leonids in the UK

North
•    Buckstones Car Park, Marsden Moor, Yorkshire
•    Friar's Crag, Lake District, Cumbria

Midlands
•    Mam Tor, Peak District, Derbyshire

South
•    Bignor Car Park, Slindon Estate, West Sussex
•    Dunkery Beacon, Holnicote Estate, Exmoor
•    Echo Mount, Knole, Kent
•    Black Down, Sussex

Northern Ireland
•    Divis Mountain, Belfast

Wales
•    Penbryn Beach, Cardigan

Scotland
•    Galloway Forest Park, Dumfries and Galloway
•    Sighthill Park, Glasgow
•    New Lanark Roof Garden, Lanark