Keeping a record

Take note of any very bright meteors you see streak across the sky

Bright meteors often leave behind wispy, glowing trails which can linger. Through binoculars you’ll be able to see them twisting and changing shape before they fade. If you are lucky enough to see any very bright meteors quickly jot down the time you saw them, where they were in the sky, their colour and how bright they were; professionals who study meteors will find such information extremely useful.

1 Choose the right location

Find an observing site with no light pollution and no tall trees, hills or buildings around it. The more open sky, the more meteors you will see.

2 Dress up warm

You will be outside a long time, so dress warmly and take a flask of something hot to warm you up when it gets chilly.

3 Try taking long-exposure photos

You can try capturing meteors on long-exposure photos taken with a camera on a tripod, but don’t be surprised if you don’t catch any.

4 Make a note of the brighter meteors

If you see any very bright meteors try to record their details – direction, duration, colour and brightness. Meteor experts will find that very useful.

5 Be quick with your binoculars

Use your binoculars to zoom in on any glowing ‘trails’ left behind by the brightest meteors. They can be very colourful and last for several minutes.

6 Take a walk

During the night there will be lulls in activity. Use these to walk around and get warm to keep you going through until dawn.