Perseid meteor shower to light up Peterborough skies tonight

Peterborians are being encouraged to cast their gaze skyward once the sun goes down this evening.

Those who do may well be treated to a stunning slideshow of shooting stars, courtesy of the Perseid meteor shower

Expert astronomers are suggesting as many as 100 meteors – what we see as shooting stars – could be seen every hour.

This is because the Perseid will reach is set to reach its peak tonight (August 12).

One man who knows more than most about seeing (and photographing) incredible stellar phenomena is revered PT snapper and ace astrophotographer, David Lowndes.

The legendary lensman explained, in refreshingly simple terms, that you could “set your clock” to the Perseids.

“It’s an area of dust that the Earth passes through on a regular basis every August,” he said.

Indeed, this regular sojourn has been happening for centuries, and the dust in question is in fact a cloud of debris dust left behind by the comet, Swift-Tuttle.

David said anyone who wants to see the display should gaze upon Perseus, a constellation in the night sky which sits below Cassiopeia:

“That’s the big ‘W’ in the north /northeast,” he said, “Look at the stars below that.”

NASA has described the Perseid as the "best meteor shower of the year" as, along with shooting stars, it is also common to see fireballs, larger explosions of light and colour which illuminate the sky for longer than the average meteor streak.

Astrophotography expert David said it is vital that those who want to enjoy the display at its best should stay away from light pollution.

“You need dark sky,” he insisted, “And you should be prepared to look up for a reasonable amount of time.”

He suggested the best approach is to get properly set up beforehand.

“Lie down or sit in a reclining seat,” he said, “and have a warm blanket to hand.”

The Perseid can be seen clearly with the naked eye so no telescopes or binoculars are needed.

The veteran photographer hinted that the very best displays were likely to be reserved for truly dedicated star-gazers or early-risers:“Ideally the best time to look is just before dawn,” he said.

“Although you can look all throughout the night.”