Perseid Meteor Shower 2024: What time can you see the event and where can you see it in Bristol

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The Perseid Meteor Shower is due to peak tonight (August 12).

It is one of the most dramatic things to see in the night sky between July and August, and is a highlight of many meteor hunters’ calendars due to its high hourly rate and bright meteors.

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Find out all you need to know about the Perseid Meteor Shower 2024, including where to see it, when it will take place and exactly what it is.

What is the Perseid Meteor Shower?

According to the Royal Museums Greenwich, the meteor shower is caused when a comet gets close to the sun, heats up and pieces break off.

Some of the debris ends up in the Earth’s path around the Sun and slams into our atmosphere at an average speed of 36 miles per second during the Perseid meteor shower.

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The smaller meteors vaporise and leave behind a bright trail of light, whilst the larger meteors can explode at fireballs.

The Perseid Meteor Shower is due to peak tonight (August 12). It is one of the most dramatic things to see in the night sky between July and August, and is a highlight of many meteor hunters’ calendars due to its high hourly rate and bright meteors.The Perseid Meteor Shower is due to peak tonight (August 12). It is one of the most dramatic things to see in the night sky between July and August, and is a highlight of many meteor hunters’ calendars due to its high hourly rate and bright meteors.
The Perseid Meteor Shower is due to peak tonight (August 12). It is one of the most dramatic things to see in the night sky between July and August, and is a highlight of many meteor hunters’ calendars due to its high hourly rate and bright meteors.

When and where can you watch the Perseid Meteor Shower in Bristol?

The meteor shower is active between July 17 and August 24, however, the peak takes place between tonight (August 12) and dawn on August 13. The best times to see the Perseids is between midnight and 5.30am.

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The moon will set below the horizon at around 10.30pm, causing minimal light pollution.

The best places to watch the meteor shower are those with reduced light pollution including the countryside, parks or even turning your back to street lamps if you're not able to go anywhere.

A Meteor Shower Walk event will be held tonight from 9.30pm to 10.30pm at Stockwood Open Space Nature Reserve. The event is free to attend and can be booked here.

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What is the weather forecast for tonight’s Perseid Meteor Shower peak?

The Met Office predicts sunny intervals for today (August 12) with highs of 25°C and lows of 13°C. They predict clear skies for tonight.

Similarly, BBC Weather predicts it will be largely clear overnight with just the odd light patch of cloud around.

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