The Perseid meteor shower, described by Royal Astronomical Society Research Fellow Dr Becky Smethurst as "one of the best nights for astronomy all year", will reach its peak on Wednesday night. The best time for viewing is in the early morning hours between midnight and dawn on 12 and 13 August, when over 100 meteors per hour could be visible.
This year's viewing conditions are expected to be particularly favourable due to a new moon, meaning there will be no bright moonlight to obscure fainter meteors. Stargazers are advised to find a location away from city lights and allow 20 to 30 minutes for their eyes to adjust to the darkness.
Adding to the celestial display, a deep partial solar eclipse will also be visible in the UK in the early evening before the sun sets. Dr Becky Smethurst called the timing of these two unrelated events "the perfect cosmic coincidence of events".
For most of England and Wales, largely clear skies are forecast for the night. However, parts of Northern Ireland, much of Scotland, and the far north of England may experience large areas of cloud and a risk of showers.