STAR-GAZERS in Somerset have been treated to a light display as Earth passed through debris left behind by a comet.
The best time to have viewed the spectacle, referred to as the Perseid meteor shower, was from late last night into the early hours of this morning when the sky was is at its darkest.
The meteors, best seen from the northern hemisphere, were clearly visible thanks to a largely cloudless sky.
Additionally, this year's peak coincided with the moon being in a thin crescent phase, creating perfect viewing conditions without interference from moonlight.
PICTURE: The streaks shown in this wide-angle photo showing the Milky Way are actually satellites, not comets.
The meteor shower is often dubbed the best of the year because of how bright and active it is.
The Perseids are associated with Comet 109/P Swift-Tuttle, which last passed near Earth in 1992.
When comets travel close to the sun, they heat up and disintegrate. If this happens in Earth’s path around the sun, they can head towards our atmosphere at high speeds.
The superheated air around the meteors glows and leaves behind trails of light and explosions in the form of fireballs.
The best way to catch a glimpse of the radiant show is away from the lights of towns, cities, buildings, and trees, and where there is a clear view of the horizon.
The Exmoor Stargazers arranged a team meet to experience the event together in the perfect spot - Europe's first dark sky reserve, Exmoor National Park.
President of Exmoor StarGazers, Tim Wetherell, said: "The Perseids originate from a trail of debris left in space by the comet Swift–Tuttle. These small pieces of comet hit the atmosphere at thousands of miles per hour, burning up in the process.
"We were very lucky to have a clear break in the weather last night during the peak of the Perseids meteor shower. We got to see many bright and spectacular meteors trailing across the dark skies of Exmoor."
If you feel like sharing your knowledge of astronomy with like-minded people, or you are a novice looking to learn more about the stars, the club is open to new members, from experts in specific fields to complete novices. They hold friendly meetings at local pubs and take part in viewing nights when the weather permits.
Another astronomy group with a prime spot for watching the night sky is the Somerset Levels Stargazers.
Made up of enthusiastic amateur astronomers interested in looking at the stars, planets and anything else in space, the group meets at least once a month to pass on knowledge and share an interest in astronomy.
Their meet ups are usually held at Othery Village Hall but due to the pandemic, they have switched to online meetings for the time being.
Somerset Levels Stargazers chairman, Paul Adamson, said: "Although last night was the peak of the shower, meteors were seen leading up to last night and will continue for a while yet so it's still worth keeping an eye if the sky is clear.
"Last night's peak was particularly good as the Moon had set early on so it's light didn't drown out any of the fainter meteors.
"Many were seen last night some very bright and of different colours caused by the chemicals in the meteor as it passes through the atmosphere and some left trails."
So, if you did miss last night's peak, the sparkling showers are set to continue for a few more days with reduced activity.
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