Celestial fireworks are set to peak in Irish skies tonight when up to 100 shooting stars an hour may be seen around the country.
Shooting stars are more correctly called meteor showers. They are caused when pieces of comet dust hit the Earth's upper atmosphere and burn up, causing a fiery streak.
These shooting stars are known as Perseids because they appear to emanate from an area between the constellations of Perseus and Cassiopeia, in the sky's northern hemisphere. They are associated with the comet Swift-Tuttle.
The shower is visible from mid-July every year, but the bulk of its activity falls between August 8th and 14th, peaking on August 12th.
During the peak, 100 or more meteors per hour may be seen. Astronomy Ireland is urging the public to go outdoors and witness the display. Chairman David Moore said that up to 20 times more shooting stars than on a normal night are expected, so instead of seeing one every 10 minutes, there could be one or more each minute.
"Bright meteors can be very spectacular and in the past we have seen Perseids so bright that they lit up the whole landscape like a giant cosmic flash gun. We want everyone in Ireland to witness this amazing natural spectacle."
The best viewing time is expected to be after midnight, when the area from which the shower comes will be high in the sky.
Astronomy Ireland advises that binoculars are not required to view the show but are useful to see the meteors' "trains" - ionised particles left behind after the meteor burns up.
This year's display will have to compete with an almost full moon. A spokesman for Met Éireann said that there will be some cloud around.
"A northerly airflow is expected which brings clearer air and the cloud may become broken," he said.
