Magical meteors set to fly across Wales

(Source: Internet)

This summer, you've got the perfect chance to see one of the world's most beautiful astronomical events right on your doorstep. The Perseid meteor shower, which has been making rare appearances since 1992, will be taking its penultimate trip over Wales in August 2016.

The spectacular shower is caused by fragments that have come away from a comet hurling towards the centre of the Earth at 100,000 miles per hour (160,000 kmph). When the fragments burn up in the atmosphere, they create a flash of bright light before shimmering into nothingness.

Between the 11th and 24th of August, scientists think there will be up to 100 visible meteors per hour. For the best chance of seeing them, head out at night to a remote location without any light pollution. If you're far enough from street lights and lively cities, you should be able to see the light show without a telescope.

There are two dedicated dark sky reserves in Wales: Snowdonia and the Brecon Beacons . For some suggestions on other dark sky locations, see our dedicated page. There's also a handy online map that astrology fans contribute to, which shows you some other good sighting spots.

Wherever you are in Wales, it's well worth making the effort to see this natural event. It's your only chance to catch the meteor shower for the next decade, so wrap up, look up and enjoy the show!