The annual Lyrid meteor shower will peak across the UK sky on Thursday night and into Friday morning in a welcome treat for stargazers.

Shooting stars flying across the midnight sky can be a mesmerising sight and now is your chance to catch a glimpse if you're in Southend.

The shower takes place around this time every year, and although it is not the most impressive, it is typically reliable.

UK celestial events to see in 2022

It is named after the Lyra constellation – the star which it appears to come from.

The meteors, which appear as shooting stars, are actually pieces of debris which fall from the Thatcher Comet. It is expected to return in 2276, after a 415-year orbital period.

When to watch the Lyrid meteor shower in Southend

According to the Met Office forecast the sky will be quite clear until about midnight in Southend so that will be the best time to see parts of the meteor shower.

However, at about midnight and beyond the sky will be quite cloudy, so it will reduce visibility and the chance to see shooting stars.

What can you expect to see?

Some 15 to 20 meteors will be produced per hour, but only about 10 of those will be visible to the eye, due to a restricted view of the sky and light pollution in large cities.

Because the Moon is in its crescent phase, it shouldn’t drown out the shower too much.