Here's everything you need to know about the solar event.
If you're on the hunt for something to brighten up your week, then you may be in luck, as the Perseid meteor shower is set to be visible over Ireland tonight.
The Perseid showers have been taking place over the country all week, but clouds have hindered the chances of the public seeing them so far.
The Perseid meteor showers take place annually when the planet crosses the orbit of the comet Swift-Tuttle, meaning that any particles ejected from the comet will burn in our atmosphere, creating "shooting-stars" that are visible from earth.
The shower is set to hit its peak on Thursday night with up to 60 meteors an hour as, due to the
extremely windy weather, the skies may be clear enough to catch a glimpse.
What is the Perseid meteor shower?
According to David Moore of Astronomy Ireland Magazine, the Perseid meteor shower is the "best shooting star shower of the year", specifically in terms of bright stars called "fireballs".
"Tonight is the peak, just after the sun sets, after it gets dark, say about 10pm onwards. That's when we should see the most shooting stars," Moore told JOE.
"In the past when the moon has been out of the way like it is this year, I have counted about 20 every 15 minutes, and that's what we're asking people to do, to count how many you see every 15 minutes and send in a report to
Astronomy.ie via email at admin@astronomy.ie, that's how we know when it [the shower] peaks."
Will the sky be clear enough?
Moore said that different areas of the country will have different levels of visibility, adding that it's hard to predict which areas will have the best chance of viewing the shooting stars.
"My advice is almost to ignore the weather forecast and just go out and watch it, if it's cloudy early on - keep checking the sky, you have from dusk 'til dawn and you only need a few minutes to see a few of the meteors," he added.
Where is your best chance to see them?
"Go out your own back garden and give yourself five or 10 minutes for your eyes to adjust," recommends Moore.
"If you're in the country you will see more - if you can get out to the countryside that's where you'll see the most."
However, Moore said that everywhere in the country, including cities and suburbs, will have a chance of viewing the stars if the sky is clear, adding that the "weather looks good" for later tonight.
How can you see them?
"You don't need any telescopes or even binoculars, if you have them, leave them indoors," said Moore.
"All you should have is a chair."
Is tonight the only night to view them?
Moore said that while the "peak is tonight", the showers will also be visible to a lesser extent on Friday night and to a lesser extent again on Saturday night.
