Perseid meteor shower to light up skies above Gedling borough this weekend

Stargazers across Gedling borough are in for a treat this weekend as the annual Perseid meteor shower returns to light up our night sky.

The annual celestial event is always one of the best meteor showers to observe each year and can produce around 60 to 70 meteors or ‘shooting stars’ an hour.

The Perseid meteor shower arrives sometime between July 17 and August 24 each year, but is expected to peak this weekend (August 11-12).

To see them you do not need a telescope, binoculars or any other equipment as they should be visible to the naked eye.

The Perseids are a meteor shower that appear to radiate outwards from the constellation Perseus, which is in the north-eastern part of the sky, however the meteors can be seen from any point in the sky.

The best sightings are usually in the early hours before dawn.