The Perseids meteor shower is about to reach its peak, coinciding with a Sturgeon Moon this weekend to create a dazzling night sky.

The full moon will rise just after 9pm BST on Saturday, 9 August, while the Perseids will reach their peak on the night of 12-13 August.

NASA’s Monika Luabeya said: “With swift and bright meteors, Perseids frequently leave long ‘wakes’ of light and colour behind them as they streak through the Earth’s atmosphere.

“The Perseids are one of the most plentiful showers with about 50 to 100 meteors seen per hour.”

August's full moon is called the Sturgeon Moon because it marks the time of year when sturgeon fish are most readily caught.

The Perseids meteor shower stems from a comet called 109P/Swift-Tuttle.

Royal Museums Greenwich calls Perseids "one of the be

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