BBC News
By Michael Sheils McNamee
August 13, 2023
The annual Perseid meteor shower has lit up skies across the world to the delight of those hoping to catch a glimpse of a shooting star.
The phenomenon brings up to 100 meteors an hour, as the Earth slams into the debris left behind from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle.
As the debris hits the Earth’s atmosphere it burns up, resulting in the bright flashes known as shooting stars, which can be seen with the naked eye.
The natural display happens at a similar time in July and August each year, and this year peaked between Saturday night and the early hours of Sunday.