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Perseids Shooting Stars viewing from The Observatory Science Centre, Herstmonceux

As Earth passes through the debris trail left behind by comet Swift-Tuttle, particles of space dust enter the atmosphere leaving a trail of light behind; a shooting star. Join us for an informative talk to learn more about this fascinating yearly event, plus the opportunity to view through the historic telescopes.

The Perseids meteor shower occurs as Earth passes through the outskirts of a cloud of debris from comet Swift-Tuttle. The dust and bits of rock left behind are called meteoroids. As they enter the Earth's atmosphere they disintegrate with the larger pieces producing bright streams - meteors - that you can see with the unaided eye before they fade away.