Delta Aquariids: Astronomers reveal the best time to watch the spectacular show from your area tonight

There's no better way to spend a summer evening than getting out and watching the wonders of the solar system.  

Tonight, British stargazers will be in for a treat as the Delta Aquariid meteor shower reaches its dazzling peak. 

The Delta Aquariids will be at their best shortly after midnight tonight, before the crescent moon rises too far into the sky. 

Up to 25 meteors will zoom through the sky an hour – and they're best viewable without a telescope or binoculars, experts say. 

To make the view even better, the smaller Alpha Capricornid meteor shower will also reach its peak at the same time. 

When to see tonight's meteor shower

The Delta Aquariids are an annual meteor shower that runs over six weeks between mid-July and late August.

Dr Greg Brown, astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, told MailOnline: 'Delta Aquariids and the Alpha Capricornids are two meteor showers that peak on the nights of the 29th and 30th of July respectively.

'The Delta Aquariids has a decent ideal rate of around 25 meteors per hour, while the Alpha Capricornids is a fairly weak shower of around 5 meteors per hour, though light pollution and other viewing conditions will likely reduce the actual observed rate.'

Because the Delta Aquariids can sometimes be dim, finding a time when the sky is darkest will be key to getting a good view. 

The best time tonight will be around an hour after midnight when the sky has become sufficiently dark but before the moon rises too much.

Dr Brown adds: 'As with most meteor showers, the best time to see them is in the early hours of the morning, just after midnight, though lower rates can be seen throughout the night.'

Where is the best place to watch from?

 The Delta Aquariids will be visible from anywhere in the UK tonight but the best locations will have clear skies and low levels of light pollution.

Luckily for most places in the UK, the Met Office currently forecasts dry, clear, and warm conditions.

Some small areas of Scotland north of Glasgow are predicted to receive some rain but stargazers elsewhere should avoid most of the wet weather.

South east and south west England are set to receive the clearest skies tonight with almost no cloud forecast around the shower's peak.

Areas of the midlands and as far north as Manchester will experience more cloud cover but there will still be a few windows of clear sky as the night goes on. 

A Met Office spokesperson told MailOnline: 'We are expecting clear skies over England and Wales tonight and tomorrow night. 

'However there will be varying amounts of cloud over Scotland, Northern Ireland and parts of north east England at times.'

No matter where in the country you are, the best location will be wherever you have the least light pollution.

For those in urban areas that might mean finding a park or taking a trip into the countryside to get away from the city's lights.  

How to see the Delta Aquariids

The Delta Aquariids get their name from the Aquarius constellation from which they appear to emerge. 

Since the meteors appear from the same place, known as the 'radiant', they are quite easy to find even for an inexperienced stargazer.

After midnight, look for the square of the constellation Pegasus which appears in the southeastern sky and then look downwards towards the horizon.

You should spot what looks like an exceptionally bright star which is actually Saturn in the constellation Aquarius. 

Now you have found the radius of the meteor shower it is actually best to look around 45 degrees to either side.

Your peripheral vision is somewhat more sensitive to light this will give you a better chance of seeing any meteors. 

Between five and 10 per cent of the meteors in the Delta Aquariid shower leave glowing streaks of ionised gas in their wake called 'persistent trains'.

These should make the meteors even easier to spot as they will linger for one or two seconds before fading.

Thankfully you won't need any special equipment to make the most of this stunning display.

Dr Brown says: 'There’s no need for a telescope or binoculars here – in fact it’s a bad idea to use them! 

'Instead, try lying down if you can (using a deckchair is ideal here!) and fill your view with as much of the sky as possible'

It is also key to let your eyes adjust to the darkness; that means no shining torches and no looking at your phone for at least 15 minutes before you expect to see anything. 

Dr Brown adds: 'Then simply be patient, allowing your eyes to adjust to the dark and wait for the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it spark of a tiny grain of dust burning as they race at speeds in excess of 20 kilometres per second into the upper atmosphere.' 

What about the Alpha Capricornids?

The Delta Aquariids will not be the only meteor shower reaching its peak tonight as the sky will also be lit up by a display known as the Alpha Capricornids.

Just like the Aquariids, this shower gets its name from a constellation as they appear to emerge from the Capricorn region. 

You should be able to find Capricorn just below and to the right of the Aquarius constellation.

Although not as frequent as the Delta Aquariids, only producing four to five meteors every hour, the Alpha Capricornids can be just as spectacular.

This meteor shower is known for its extremely bright fireball meteors which travel very slowly through the sky.

Spotting just one of these brilliant flares is sure to be a highlight of any star-watching trip.     

What are meteor showers?

The bright flash of a meteor we see as a shooting star is caused by small pieces of interplanetary debris burning up in the atmosphere. 

As pieces of dust, rock, and ice collide with the atmosphere at extremely high speeds they are superheated and vaporise in a flash of light before they hit the ground.

Meteor showers are simply moments in the Earth's orbit when we pass through particularly dirty regions of space and sweep up lots of bits of debris.

Although the origins are still debated, it is believed that the Delta Aquariid meteor shower is caused by the debris left behind by the comet 96P/Machholz.

This four-mile-wide ball of rock and ice orbits the sun once every five years, getting extremely close to the sun as it does so.

During those portions of its journey, the intense heat causes parts of the comet to break away in a trail of debris which we experience as a meteor shower.

Scientists believe that the Alpha Capricornid meteor shower is also caused by the debris left behind by a small comet called 169P/NEAT.

In 2010, researchers suggested that 169P/NEAT is actually just a small piece of a larger object which broke up about 4,500 to 5,000 years ago. 

Since Earth only catches the edge of the debris field, the Alpha Capricornid shower only produces a few meteors. 

However, within the next 200 to 300 years the Earth will shift to pass through the very centre of the field – leading to even more spectacular displays.