Leonid meteor shower to light up UK sky tonight – here’s how and when you can see it

The Leonid meteor shower is set to light up the night sky over Britain.

The best time to see the space spectacle will be between midnight and before dawn on Friday morning

The Leonids are one of the more prolific annual meteor showers and are usually fast and bright.

When they are visible, meteors appear to stream from the head of the constellation Leo the Lion, hence the name.

A tiny path of debris is left by the comet as it follows its path around the sun.

This enters Earth’s atmosphere at speeds of up to 70km (43 miles) per second, vaporising and causing the streaks of light we call meteors.

Stargazers do not need specialist equipment to see the display as it will be visible to the naked eye.

However, a clear sky, a little patience and as much darkness as possible will give people the best chance of seeing it – meaning rural areas away from city light pollution will provide the best viewing points.

The Met Office forecast for Thursday night is for rain to continue across some northern and northeastern areas, heavy and persistent in places, especially across hills in eastern Scotland.

But it forecasts clearer skies in parts of the south and west.

The meteors will be visible in all parts of the sky, so a wide-open space where the night sky can be scanned will help.

Those missing out on the shower’s peak tonight will still have a chance to glimpse the display as it continues for several days afterwards.