Still time to observe Perseid meteor shower

There's still time to see the Perseid meteor shower.
Don't forget to look up!Don't forget to look up!
Don't forget to look up!

The annual space show peaked on Thursday night and into the early hours of Friday - but cloud spoiled the display for many.

However, there's still hope as the spectacle is expected to be visible until August 24.

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The Perseid meteor shower occurs when tiny fragments from the tail of the Swift-Tuttle comet collides with the Earth's atmosphere - producing fireballs.

NASA said this year's show will be better than most because the gravity of Jupiter, the solar system's largest planet, will pull the particles closer. Earth will pass through the middle of the comet's dust trail instead of just grazing it.

A Met Office spokesman urged residents to wrap up warm, go outside, lie back and look up during the early hours.

The spokesman added: "To see the meteor shower, you don’t need a telescope, binoculars or any other equipment – all you need is your eyes.

"You don’t need to look in any particular direction as meteors appear randomly anywhere in the sky."