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Meteor shower magic for Britain

Source PA News

Updated on 11 August 2007

Dark skies will set the stage for a spectacular display by the world's most famous meteor shower early on Sunday.

The Perseids, which streak through the sky every summer, will appear brighter than usual because of a new moon.

Astronomers estimate that under ideal conditions, up to 80 meteors an hour, one every 45 seconds, could be visible.

The shower will peak at around 3am. Although the meteors appear to radiate from a point in the constellation Perseus in the north-eastern sky, they can be seen anywhere.

Robin Scagell, vice-president of the Society for Popular Astronomy, said: "The Perseids are the most reliable of the meteor showers. Although you could see 80 an hour, I'd say one a minute is more realistic, and that's a good number.

"They are distinctive meteors, which move quite quickly in a sudden flash of light. Some are quite spectacular with long contrails, and occasionally you get a trail that carries on glowing for a minute or two.

"Because there's going to be a new moon, this will be a good year to see them. Amateur astronomers will be out in force."

The Perseids are made up of dusty debris shed by Comet Swift-Tuttle, discovered in 1862.

Each year the Earth's orbit causes it to plough through the meteors, which burn up as they shoot through the upper atmosphere at more than 130,000 mph.

Chinese records dating from 36AD contain the earliest reports of the Perseids.

These news feeds are provided by an independent third party and Channel 4 is not responsible or liable to you for the same.

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