STARGAZERS are being urged to turn their eyes to the skies tonight to catch the height of the Perseid meteor shower.

Up to 80 meteors will be visible per hour over the course of the weekend, and will be most visible from Friday night until Saturday night.

But you might not be able to see it if the weather stays overcast.

According to South Wales Argus astronomer Jonathan Powell, the best viewing will come between 1am and 3am on Saturday and later on in the evening.

The phenomenon occurs when the Earth travels through the path of debris left by Comet Swift-Tittle during its journey around the Sun.

While the Perseids have been active since early July, it is in early August when they are most visible.

But Mr Powell has warned that the presence of heavy moonlight this weekend could mean that fainter meteors will be harder to see.

“Despite a bright, waning moon having an impact on visibility, for the most part people in the area should be able to see between 60 and 80 meteors per hour,” said Mr Powell.

“While there will be a lot of activity on Saturday morning, the key night will be on Saturday night.

“You will need to look in a north-eastern direction and keep your eyes on the eastern horizon.”

Mr Powell has also advised that anyone wanting to see the meteor shower in its full splendour to drive out to a vantage point out in the countryside to get a clearer view.

He added: “I find the best place to go is the Keeper’s car park on the Blorenge, near Blaenavon, but anywhere that is far away from artificial light should give good and clear views.”