A meteor shower is set to light up the night sky on Sunday and will be so bright you won’t need binoculars. The Leonids shower takes place every November and will peak in the early hours of Sunday and Monday morning, with ten meteors streaking through the night sky every hour.
The best place to view the spectacle will be the South Downs mainly in Winchester Hill, Butser Hill, Birling Gap, and Bignor Hill, according to a list put together by Saga Holidays. The national park was granted an International Dark Skies Reserve in 2016 and has an average yearly cloud coverage of 57%, making the meteor shower more visible.
(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
The second best place is Cranborne Place in East Dorset, which has a cloud coverage of 61%. The best places in Cranborne Place for viewing are Dinton Park, Fontmell Down Nature Reserve, as well as the villages of Chettle, and Sutton Veny.
The third best place is the North Yorkshire Moors which has a cloud coverage of 62%. Three locations there are recognised as special sites to stargaze. These include the two park centres at Sutton Bank and Danby plus the observatory in Dalby Forest. Other great places to view the Leonids shower are Northumberland National Park, the Yorkshire Dales and Exmoor National Park.
(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Dr Sheona Urquhart, a lecturer in astrophysics said: “ There are a number of factors to consider when it comes to the best locations for stargazing. The obvious one would be darkness – the darker the better really. Altitude also helps as you can get above the clouds to see the clearest views.
“You also don’t need fancy equipment, you’d be amazed at what you can see with a decent set of binoculars, or even with your naked eye on clear nights. These dark sky areas allow everyone, from the professional to the amateur to get out there, see the wonders of the night sky with their own eyes.”
The full list of top sites to see the meteor show is:
- South Downs National Park
- Cranborne Chase
- Nork Yorkshire Moors
- Northumberland National Park
- Yorkshire Dales
- Exmoor National Park
- Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons)
- Kerry Dark Sky Reserve
- Eryri National Park (Snowdonia)
- Galloway Forest Park
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