Skygazers will be able to catch the Lyrid meteor shower above Suffolk and Essex this morning – with up to 18 meteors per hour expected.
The celestial display is expected to peak at 1pm today, but astronomers believe the best time to see it will be early morning or after sunset.
Meteor showers, also known as shooting stars, are caused when pieces of debris enter Earth’s atmosphere at speeds of around 43 miles per second, burning up and causing streaks of light.
The Lyrid meteor shower happens every April and has been observed since at least 687 BC.
Tania de Sales Marques, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, told the PA news agency: “It is worth mentioning that meteors will be visible all over the sky, not just in the direction of the radiant, so to maximise your chance of spotting meteors, try to find a safe place that has an unobstructed view of the whole sky.
“As with any stargazing, you’ll need to allow at least 15 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark.”