IF YOU wish upon a star… Then you might have stayed up late in Somerset. For people might well be able to spot the Perseid Meteor Shower in Somerset skies on Tuesday and Wednesday night (August 12 and 13), when the phenomenon is set to be at its most visible.

The meteors, travelling at around 37 miles per second – more than 133,000 miles per hour – appear as ‘shooting stars’ as the Earth passes through a trail of dust and debris left behind by a comet or asteroid.

“And as they do so, they burn up, creating the bright flashes we call meteors,” the Somerset Wildlife Trust said.

“The Perseid meteor shower has been observed for nearly 2,000 years, with some of the earliest records from ancient China.

“This year, the shower does coincide with the very bright Sturgeon Moon – but keep your eyes peeled and you could still catch sight of a couple of shooting stars.”

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