Perseid meteor shower live: Watch shooting stars after solar eclipse in 'best nights of year'

Perseid meteor shower live: Watch shooting stars after solar eclipse in 'best nights of year' After a dramatic solar eclipse wowed millions, another amazing astronomical event is taking place in the skies above us tonight - something scientists call the 'one of the best nights of year' A dramatic meteor shower is set to put on a show just hours after millions of Brits were wowed by the solar eclipse. The Perseid meteor shower will be visible from midnight until dawn on Thursday (August 13). Meteor showers occur when the Earth moves through space surrounded by comets breaking up. It's thought to be the first time in the world the peak of a shower has coincided with a solar eclipse. Alfredo Carpineti, space and physics editor at IFL Science and author of the book Invisible Rainbows, said: "It's so exciting to have these two events happening on the same day. "I've gone through 5,000 years' worth of eclipse data from NASA, and it looks like Wednesday will be the first time there's an eclipse happening on the same day as the peak of a major meteor shower." Astronomers say it's best to view the shower from a dark countryside hill, where up to 100 comets an hour will be visible. This is a live event. Please check below for the latest updates. Key Events This is where the skies will be clear tonight - as we mentioned, it will be clear overhead in England and Wales, but less so in Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Perseid meteor shower will start at midnight and run until dawn, but the peak of activity is expected to be around 3am, the BBC's Sky At Night magazine has said. Whenever you're looking for comets, the advice is to gaze at the sky at a 60-degree angle, and the tails of the shooting stars will be at a 90 degree angle to the comet. It might be a late night, but one you'll remember for a long time. Welcome to our live coverage on what's been a special night in the skies already. The astronomical amazement continues from midnight with the Perseid meteor shower, which should fill the skies right across the country. Scientists say the best places to watch the shower are on hillsides in dark countryside locations, where there isn't any light pollution. So you'll want to get out of town and into the stick to see it. The weather forecast is cloudy for Scotland and Northern Ireland, which unfortunately means it will be harder to catch a glimpse of the comets there. However, England and Wales looks like it will be clear overhead.