Space fans in the West midlands are in for a double treat tonight (August 12) in the night sky.
The Perseid meteor shower is set to peak just hours after a partial solar eclipse, making Wednesday a standout evening for stargazers.
With the solar eclipse taking place at 7.10pm in the West Midlands, those who stick around will be rewarded, with peak viewing of the meteor shower taking place in the early hours of tomorrow morning (August 13).
The two events are unrelated, but their timing makes for a great night of stargazing in store.
Meteor showers happen when the Earth passes through trails of debris from asteroids or comets - a snowball of frozen rock and gas orbiting the Sun.
The best place to view the meteor showers is in the countryside, away from artificial light and cities.
Light pollution will hide the fainter meteors, leaving only the brightest ones visible.
The best viewing will take place between midnight and dawn on August 13 here in the West Midlands.
Clear night skies are forecast throughout the West Midlands, so those willing to stay up will see their second celestial event in less than 12 hours.
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