A spectacular display of shooting stars could be visible across British skies tomorrow night.

The Perseid meteor shower occurs roughly around this time each year as the Earth passes through a trail of debris left in the wake of Comet Swift-Tuttle as it blasts its way through space shedding clouds of dust. This year’s display will begin after 9pm and is expected to reach its peak at around 3am. As dawn approaches, the meteor shower will vanish.

A new moon will give rise to dark skies, enhancing visibility for those wanting to witness what promises to be a colourful astronomical phenomenon. Mimimal moonlight will mean that even faint meteors can be seen.

Most of the meteors are no bigger than a grain of sand, but as they shoot through the Earth’s upper atmosphere at around 135,000 mph they burn up in a bright light and many leave a glowing streak in their wake. Occasionally, they ignite into a bright fireball as larger meteors shoot through.

The Perseids, which are named after the constellation from which they appear to originate, Perseus, also used to be known as the “tears of St Lawrence” after a third-century archdeacon of Rome. When he was executed by the Romans, meteors streaked through the night sky and reappeared every year around St Lawrence’s feast day on August 10.

Because the first Perseid showers have already begun, increasing in volume to their maximum over Sunday evening and Monday morning, skywatchers may also be able to catch a glimpse of them on Saturday and Monday nights.However, the weather will have the final word on the Perseids display. Although Sunday looks wet and cloudy in parts of the UK, especially in the North, skies should tend to clear during the night. Unfortunately, forecasts are currently affected by volatile weather patterns. A titanic battle is being waged between Atlantic depressions from the West driving into a high pressure system from the southerly Azores Islands.

For most of June and July, the Atlantic depressions largely won the day, but this month the Azores high pressure system has pushed into the UK, resulting in weather more akin to a classic British summer – sunny and warm, but not too hot.

Unfortunately, the jet stream, a river of wind a few miles high, has shifted position and is driving in fresh waves of wet weather off the Atlantic.

Although the high pressure system will try to reassert itself later next week, there are ominous signs of a return to wild weather reminiscent of last month’s storms.

Whether the Azores high pressure system is strong enough to push aside the bad weather remains to be seen, but there is a good chance it could clear the skies for the Perseids. However, it will probably provide only a brief respite before the next rains arrive.

Dr Robert Massey, of the Royal Astronomical Society, said: “If you have never seen a meteor shower, this is a really nice opportunity to watch one. It can be spectacular.

“The nice thing about it is that it is really easy to watch. You just have to get out of bed and look toward the east.

“Even if you just watch for just a minute or two, you should see quite a few meteors.”

Skywatchers are advised to avoid being in close proximity to artificial lighting such as street lights in order to maximise their vision.

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