Meteor showers are some of the most spectacular celestial events of the year - here's how, where and when you can expect to look up and catch one where you live
Many of us go years without seeing a shooting star, but, with a bit of planning and prediction, you have a good chance of seeing a whole shower of them. Luckily for us, there are regular meteor showers throughout the year, giving us numerous opportunities to catch a glimpse of them lighting up skies across the United Kingdom.
Explaining the natural phenomenon, Dr Ashley King from the Natural History Museum told Mirror Online: "Meteors (often called shooting stars) are the bright streaks of light in the sky when dust and small rocks from space enter Earth’s atmosphere.
"Some of these dust particles come from asteroids, but most are from comets. Asteroids and comets are small bodies in the solar system leftover from the formation of the planets.
"As Earth orbits around the Sun, meteor showers occur when its path crosses a stream of dust particles, leading to a peak in the number of meteors that can be observed. For example, the Perseid meteor shower happens in August each year when the Earth travels through the trail of dust from comet Swift-Tuttle."
Sharing his tips for watching meteor showers, Dr King said: "For some of the more spectacular ones (e.g., Perseids in August, Geminids in December), it’s possible to observe some meteors from city centres.
"However, the darker the skies, the more chance you have of seeing lots of meteors. If possible, it also helps to get high-up, either on a building or standing on a hill.
"Some patience is required as it can take your eyes a few minutes to adjust to the dark. A final thing to note is the Moon, which can make it harder to spot meteors when it’s full and bright."
Here's when we can expect to see the most spectacular meteor showers this year...
April
Lyrid meteor shower
The next one to peak is the Lyrid meteor shower, which is active from 16 to 25 April each year and will reach its peak overnight on 22 April 2025, displaying a maximum of about 18 meteors per hour in a clear sky. The best time to view the Lyrids will be late evening on 21 April until dawn on 22 April.
The radiant will be between the constellations Lyra and Hercules. The bright star Vega is part of Lyra, so you can also look for it to get a good idea of where the radiant for the Lyrids will be.
According to the American Meteor Society, viewers should have a good view of the meteor shower for the three days around the shower's peak. The source of material that creates the Lyrid meteor shower is Comet Thatcher.
The Lyrids have been viewed by different cultures for the past 2,700 years, according to NASA.
August
Perseid meteor shower
The Perseid meteor shower, a celestial spectacle that occurs as Earth traverses the debris trail of the colossal comet Swift-Tuttle, is set to dazzle sky-gazers from 17 July to 24 August. Most meteors are merely dust particles about the size of a sand grain, but larger fragments can ignite brilliant fireballs and etch luminous trails across the night sky.
The Perseid shower could showcase over 100 meteors per hour at its zenith, complete with radiant streaks and fireballs. The optimal viewing experience will be from a dark location on the night of 12 August.
This meteor shower typically ranks among the year's most mesmerising astronomical events. However, this year's Perseids may not offer the best viewing conditions, as their peak coincides with a full Moon just three days prior.
The Perseids derive their name from their apparent origin point in the constellation Perseus, although they can appear anywhere in the sky.
October
Orionid meteor shower
The Orionid meteor shower takes place from 2 October to 7 November as Earth passes through the trail of Halley’s Comet, one of the most famous comets of all time.
In 2025, the shower is due to peak on the night of 21–22 October.
This year, the peak of the meteor shower falls on a moonless night, providing perfect dark sky conditions for spotting meteors. Orionids are some of the fastest and brightest meteors, entering the atmosphere at just under 70 kilometres per second.
They get their name from the constellation Orion, but they can appear anywhere in the sky. You can usually expect to see up to 20 meteors per hour.
November
Leonid meteor shower
The Leonid meteor shower occurs every year between November 6-30, as Earth passes through the debris trail left by comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle. These meteors enter the atmosphere at a speed of 70 kilometers per second, making them some of the fastest and brightest meteors visible.
At its peak on the evening of November 17, the shower can produce up to 15 meteors per hour, just days before the new Moon. The Leonids are named for their apparent origin in the constellation Leo.
December
Geminid meteor shower
One of the most breathtaking meteor showers of the year, the Geminids, takes place from December 4-20 as Earth travels through the trail of dust left by the 'rock comet' 3200 Phaethon. On the morning of December 14, at the shower's peak, those willing to brave the chill could be treated to a spectacle of up to 150 multicoloured meteors per hour.
It's often one of the best showers of the year for viewers in the northern hemisphere, due to its high activity. This year it occurs just a few days before a new Moon.
The Geminids get their name because the meteors seem to radiate from the constellation Gemini.
