No professional equipment is needed, all you'll need to do is look up.

What NASA is describing as the "best meteor shower of the year" is set to be visible from Ireland tonight. A Perseid Shower will take place, which many consider one of the highlights of the astronomy calendar. Many expect that it is possible that you will see a meteor, or a shooting star, streaking across the sky every few minutes on Tuesday night (11 August). Astronomy Ireland is calling on people to observe the event tonight, highlighting that no professional equipment is needed. All you have to do is wait for it to be dark and then look up. Astronomy Ireland said: "As Earth moves through this cloud, the particles fall into our atmosphere and burn up, creating spectacular streaks of light in the sky, known as meteors or shooting stars. "If you trace back the path of a Perseid, you will find that it appears to come from a point in the north east, maybe halfway between the horizon and the zenith (the point straight above your head)." The type of meteors that may be visible on Tuesday are also known as 'fireballs', with NASA saying: "Fireballs are larger explosions of light and color that can persist longer than an average meteor streak." Some great excitement of a Tuesday night.