The Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak in the early hours of Thursday 13 August 2026, just hours after the UK witnessed a solar eclipse. Experts say the meteors will be visible from midnight until dawn, with up to 100 shooting stars per hour at the height of the display.
This is believed to be the first time the peak of a meteor shower has coincided with a solar eclipse. Alfredo Carpineti, space and physics editor at IFL Science and author of the book Invisible Rainbows, said: "It's so exciting to have these two events happening on the same day. I've gone through 5,000 years' worth of eclipse data from NASA, and it looks like Wednesday will be the first time there's an eclipse happening on the same day as the peak of a major meteor shower."
A rare celestial coincidence
Meteor showers, or shooting stars, occur when the Earth travels through regions of space containing debris left behind by comets and asteroids. This Perseid shower is produced by fragments of the Swift-Tuttle comet, the largest solar system object to pass Earth on a regular basis at 16 miles in diameter, according to the Natural History Museum.
The shower will take place above the UK, but the Met Office indicates that clear skies are only anticipated over England and Wales. Stargazers in Northern Ireland and Scotland will have their views obscured by cloud cover.
Best viewing tips
The optimum method for viewing the Perseid meteor shower is to locate a rural hilltop away from artificial light pollution, and gaze skyward at a 60-degree angle. "The darker the skies, the better your chances of seeing the really faint meteors as well," Dr Ashley King told the Natural History Museum. "You could go to the coast or stand on a hill in the middle of the countryside somewhere."
Patience is also essential, Dr King added. "You might not be able to see anything for the first 10 minutes while your eyes adjust to the dark. Once you get used to the low light levels you'll begin to notice more and more. So don't give up too quickly."
Patience and preparation
Some experts suggest it can take as long as 40 minutes for your eyes to adapt to low light conditions. Given that summer nights can still carry a chill, it's advisable to dress warmly and use a chair to prevent straining your neck from tilting your head back for extended periods. At its peak, there could be 100 shooting stars an hour.
