Lyrid meteor shower 2018: How, when and where to see the dazzling display over London

The Lyrid meteor shower will light up the sky over the UK this weekend with a spectacular show of shooting stars.

Astronomers said hundreds of meteors with long, glowing tails will streak across the sky in a display that will reach its peak in London early on Sunday morning.

The rate of shooting stars from the Lyrids is about 18 meteors per hour between April 16 and 26 every year, but rare, short "outbursts" see rates of up to 100 per hour.

The Lyrids were documented as far back as 687 BC, making them the first ever of the modern meteor showers to be recorded.

When, where and how can I see it?

Experts claim the best day to watch the shower will be April 22 and the early hours of the morning are the best time.

According to Greenwich Observatory, the best places to watch the display are open areas, away from street lights.

So Londoners' best chance of seeing the shower will be from one of the capital's large open spaces such as Richmond Park or Hampstead Heath.

The Lyrid was named after the constellation Lyra.

It is sparked when Earth passes through debris from the comet Thatcher.

Shards of debris vaporise as they meet the Earth’s upper atmosphere and create colourful flashes in the night sky.

Bill Cooke, NASA meteor expert, told Space.com that patience is key to catching a glimpse of the shower.

He said: “People say there is some periodicity there but the data doesn't support that.”