Last month, the skies spectacularly lit up thanks to the Blood Moon, which occurred when the moon appeared darkened as it passed into the Earth's shadow.

And in August stargazers can expect another bedazzling celestial sighting, as the Perseid meteor shower is set to peak.

It is regarded as one of the best meteor showers in the calendar, mainly because it can produce more than 100 shooting stars per hour.

Here's everything you need to know.

What causes the Perseid meteor shower?

The Perseid is made up of tiny pieces of a comet called Swift-Tuttle. It can be seen every year when Earth passes through a cloud of the comet's debris.

The debris is bits of ice and dust which can vary in size from as small as a grain of sand to about as big as pea.

These fragments are left behind from the last time Comet Swift-Tuttle passed close to Earth - the most recent time was in 1992.

Expert astronomy site earthsky.org said: "The bits and pieces from Comet Swift-Tuttle slam into the Earth’s upper atmosphere at some 130,000 miles (210,000 km) per hour, lighting up the nighttime with fast-moving Perseid meteors."

When will it peak this year?

The Perseid meteor shower is expected to reach its peak in the evenings of August 11 and 12. During this period you will see the most meteors in the shortest amount of time.

However, it is already in full swing so you can see its shooting stars any time between now up until Thursday, August 24 - although they will not be as bright.

What is the best way to see them?

Unlike other cosmic events you do not need a telescope, binoculars or any other kind of special equipment to catch the shooting stars.

But it is best to find a wide open space - away from trees and tall buildings - in order to view them.