Leonids meteor shower peak: Best time to see shooting stars in North East skies

Stargazers are in for yet another treat this weekend as the autumn/winter meteor shower continues with the peak of the Leonids.

This shower is associated with the Comet Tempel-Tuttle, which leaves a path of debris as it makes its way around the sun. This debris vaporises as it crashes into the Earth's atmosphere at speeds of up to 70 kilometres a second - resulting in the bright streaks of light in our skies that we call meteors or shooting stars.

The Leonids, so called because they appear to originate from the Leo constellation in the night sky, have been active since November 6, but are set to reach their peak on Monday, November 18 at a rate of up to 10 meteors every hour. However, with a spell of wintry weather on the way for much of the UK from Sunday, your best chance to catch some shooting stars in action is likely to be before this date.

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In the North East, the skies are forecast to become increasingly cloudy on Sunday evening as the weather undergoes a "major change", according to the Met Office, with a 24-hour warning issued across the region for snow and ice from Monday morning until Tuesday morning. However, clear spells are forecast for much of Saturday before the winter weather arrives, so if you're keen to see the Leonids your best chance currently looks to be Saturday evening.

In Newcastle, the sky is forecast to be clear from 6pm on Saturday and remain cloud-free into Sunday morning, so despite being a couple of days outside of the peak this is likely to be the prime time to go out and look for the Leonids before the sky is swallowed by up snow clouds - and before temperatures plunge. The meteor shower will continue until November 30, so if you miss your chance this weekend you may have an opportunity before the end of the month if the wintry weather eases.

It's worth heading to a location where you have a clear view of the sky with as little light pollution as possible to maximise your chances of spotting shooting stars, Royal Museums Greenwich advises. However, be aware that even where skies are darkest, Friday's Full Moon could affect visibility.

Experts at the observatory suggest: "Hunting for meteors, like the rest of astronomy, is a waiting game, so it's best to bring a comfy chair to sit on and to wrap up warm as you could be outside for a while. They can be seen with the naked eye so there's no need for binoculars or a telescope, though you will need to allow your eyes to adjust to the dark."

After the Leonids, there two further meteor showers for stargazers to look forward to in December, with the Geminids reaching their peak on December 14 with as many as 120 shooting stars each hour. And the 2024 meteor shower calendar will come to an end with the Ursids, due to peak on December 22 at an hourly rate of 10 shooting stars.