A display of celestial fireworks is expected to light up the night sky tonight (August 12 to 13) as the Earth passes through a cloud of cometary dust, producing up to 100 meteors every hour.

If skies are clear, the Perseid meteor shower should be visible across the UK - including in South Wales - from around sunset on the night of August 12 until the early hours of August 13.

The event is associated with the dusty debris left by Comet Swift-Tuttle, which orbits the sun once every 133 years.

The meteoroids from the comet, mostly no bigger than a grain of sand, burn up as they hit the Earth’s atmosphere at 36 miles per second, to produce a shooting stream of light in the sky.

Peak temperatures can reach anywhere from 1,648C to 5,537C as they hit the atmosphere.

The meteors are called Perseids because they seem to dart out of the constellation Perseus.

Best time to see the Perseid meteor shower tonight

Although the Perseid meteor shower has been active since July 17, it is set to peak on Monday night/early Tuesday morning (August 12 to 13) meaning it will be at its most visible.

You should be able to catch a glimpse of the meteor shower as soon as the sun sets, according to Royal Museums Greenwich.

But it adds the best time to see the Perseid meteor shower tonight will be between midnight and 5.30am on Tuesday.

This is where to look for the Perseid meteor shower in the night sky.This is where to look for the Perseid meteor shower in the night sky. (Image: PA)

Perseid meteor shower could still be visible after tonight

Although the meteor shower peaks on the night of August 12, associate professor in astronomy at Nottingham Trent University, Daniel Brown, said it is worth keeping an eye out for a secondary peak.

He said: “The meteor shower slowly builds up from mid July to then reach its peak activity at 100 per hour on August 12.

“It then reduces until the mid-end of August.

“However, in reality, the activity can show more complex variation which means the peak might not be the only one.

“The years 2018 and 2020 had some increased activity a day or two after the main peak.

“So in addition to meteor showers not being a one-evening thing – slowly increasing and then decreasing over days – we might see that the most active evening might be followed by another one a day or two later.”

Best spots in South Wales to see the Perseid meteor shower

Some of the best spots in South Wales to see the Perseid meteor shower, according to Go Stargazing, include:​

  • Sugar Loaf Mountain, Abergavenny
  • Brecon - Plas Dolygaer, Pontsticill, Merthyr Tydfil
  • Dyffryn Observatory, Dyffryn Gardens
  • Dunraven Bay, Southerndown
  • Bwlch Mountain Lay-by
  • Garn Eiddel Car Park
  • Hendre Mynydd Car Park, Rhigios Mountain
  • Fairwood Observatory - Swansea Airport, Fairwood Common
  • Glyncorrwg Ponds, Afan Forest and Ynyscorrwg Park, Glyncorrwg

Tips for spotting the Perseid meteor shower

To make the most of the meteors, observers should avoid well-lit and built-up areas and try to find unobstructed views.

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Professor Brown added: “Best time this year during the main peak is the second half of the night, that is the early hours of August 13.

“Find a place that is dark, away from direct light.”

He said it will take viewers up to 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness.

Prof Brown said: “Bring along patience, and it is best to observe a big range of the sky as meteors will be visible all over.”