Anyone who wants to spot a shooting star in 2023 may have a good chance tonight, as a spectacular meteor shower will be reaching its peak.
The Quadrantid meteor shower is the very first of the year and features hundreds of small blue meteors shooting across the night sky in a brief but powerful solar display.
It began in late December but will be reaching its strongest point in the UK tonight, with the most beautiful display likely to appear in the early hours after midnight on January 4.
The Quadrantids rain down once a year, originating from the asteroid 2003 EH1 which takes five and a half years to orbit around the Sun.
The best time to catch a glimpse of the shower is at around 3am on Wednesday, January 3.
The Royal Observatory in Greenwich has described the phenomenon as one of the "strongest and most consistent" meteor showers ever, with the debris expected to enter the Earth's atmosphere at speeds of up to 50mph.
How to spot a shooting star
If you plan on setting off tonight to try and watch the display, there are a couple of things to consider.
First, it's important to make sure you're in a secluded area with a wide sky and no light pollution - so areas away from big cities will be more favourable.
Cloudy skies also have the potential to block out any meteor showers from sight. Those in Scotland have the best chance of catching a glimpse as there will be several clear patches in the sky, whereas the rest of the UK may remain cloudy.
It's also vital that you dress for the weather if you plan on being outside for a long time, so look out your warmest clothes and remember to bring a camping chair or a blanket to sit on.
What are the Quadrantids?
The meteor shower that is visible every January gets its name from the former constellation Quadrans Muralis, which is now part of Boötes - near the famous constellation the Big Dipper.
Unlike other meteor showers, whose peaks can last for days, the high point of the Quadrantids only lasts for a couple of hours but is very intense.
They're best seen in the skies over the Northern Hemisphere, and you don't need any specialist equipment to spot them - but you will need some time for your eyes to adjust to the dark.
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