The Perseid meteor shower, one of the brightest meteor showers of the year, occurs every year between July 17 and August 24.

Every 133 years, comet Swift-Tuttle swings through the inner Solar System leaving behind a trail of dust.

When the Earth passes through, the dust cloud particles hit the atmosphere at 140,000mph and burn up in streaking flashes of light, creating the spectacle known as the Perseids.

Given a dark, clear sky in a normal year, it is common to see more than 100 of the meteors an hour during the second week in August.

When can I see the shower?

This year, you will be able to see the shower from Sunday (August 9) but the best sightings will be on August 11, 12, 13 and 14.

The shower will peak on Tuesday (August 11) in the early hours of the morning (when the sky is darkest), so that's the best time to look to the skies.

2015 is a great year to watch the shower, as the moon is waning and won't emit any distracting light.

Where to look for it

Look for the constellation Perseus.

The constellation forms a 'Y' or 'V' shape, and the meteors will seem to shoot outwards from those stars.

The shower will be visible across the whole sky, however.

How can I look out for it?

To see the Perseids you do not need a telescope, binoculars or any other equipment.

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  • Keep an eye on the weather: Meteors, or shooting stars, are easy to spot, all you need is clear skies and a pair of eyes. Check out our handy Met Office weather widget (above) for up-to-date weather forecasts.
  • Get out of town: Find a place as far away as possible from artificial lights and search for complete darkness.
  • Prepare to wait: Bring something to sit or lie down on. Star gazing is a waiting game, so get comfortable.

Send us your snaps! If you manage to get any photos of the beautiful astrological event, send your pics to emily.chudy@trinitymirror.com or Tweet @getwestlondonem.