Thursday’s new Moon creates the perfect dark sky conditions to see the Perseid meteor showerMeteors and star trails during the Perseid meteor shower seen from near Hawes in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, as the Earth flies through a cloud of cometary dust creating a spectacular display of celestial fireworks. The Perseids can bring up to 150 meteors an hour(Image: PA)

The Perseid meteor shower kicked off summer ‘shooting star’ season last week and is already dazzling sky watchers around the world.

Known as one of the best and brightest annual meteor showers, the Perseids can produce up to 150 meteors per hour at peak activity, according to Royal Museums Greenwich, which calls it one of the “most dramatic” celestial events of the summer.

The Perseids are caused by the Earth passing through debris left behind by comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, which slam into our atmosphere at speeds of between 7 and 45 miles per second and cause the meteors to vaporise – leaving behind a bright trail of light that we know to be ‘shooting stars’.

This year, the Perseid meteor shower runs from July 17 to August 24, with the peak predicted on August 12. However, astronomers say Thursday night (July 24) offers the best viewing conditions thanks to a new Moon and darker skies.

Mostly green Perseids appear over the Salton Sea at Bombay Beach. A faint Milky Way galaxy core and a few light clouds can be seen as well. Light pollution in the distance.The Perseids are expected to light up UK skies this week(Image: Getty Images)Why you should see the Perseids tonight

While the 2025 shower’s maximum falls three days after the full Moon – reducing visibility – conditions are ideal between July 18 and July 28, when the Moon is less than 50 per cent illuminated.

Tonight’s new Moon leaves skies especially dark, creating a prime opportunity to watch shooting stars streak across the sky.

Sky watchers should look for meteors radiating from the Perseus constellation in the northeastern sky. Peak viewing times are after midnight and before 5.30am.

The constellation Perseus will appear above Jupiter and Venus at around 4am in the late-July night skyThe constellation Perseus will appear above Jupiter and Venus at around 4am in the late-July night sky(Image: Stellarium)Will UK skies be clear for the Perseids tonight?

The Met Office forecast for Thursday night (July 24) states: “Rain in the east clears south through the evening, with clear spells overnight. Increasingly cloudy in the northwest as a band of light rain slowly spreads eastwards by dawn.”

The weather agency’s cloud cover map shows clear skies across large parts of England, Wales and Scotland at 3am, when the Perseids are active. Southeast England, northern parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland may have views obstructed by clouds.

Met Office cloud cover maps show clear skies for some at the time of the PerseidsMet Office cloud cover maps show clear skies for some at the time of the Perseids(Image: The Met Office)

Stargazers have the best chance of spotting the meteor shower in areas away from trees, tall buildings and light pollution. Dark sky locations can typically be found in places like national parks.

“The darker the skies, the better your chances of seeing the really faint meteors as well,” planetary scientist and meteorite expert 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.”

You also need to be patient, he says. “You might not be able to see anything for the first 10 minutes while your eyes adjust to the dark,” Dr King adds.

“Once you get used to the low light levels you’ll begin to notice more and more. So don’t give up too quickly.”

And there’s more to come – the Alpha Capricornids and the Delta Aquariid meteor shower both peak on July 30, giving stargazers even more celestial spectacles to enjoy..