Tonight the Earth silently plunges through the path of periodic comet Swift Tuttle. The comet was last at the perihelion (the closest point of its orbit to the sun) in 1992 and due to its increased activity as it approaches the sun, it sheds small particles - mostly no greater than a grain of sand - which the Earth intersects at high speed.

The particles vaporise and burn up on encountering earth's atmosphere resulting in the beautiful meteors we see. This meteor shower is known as the Perseid shower as the point in the sky from which these meteors seem to originate lies in the constellation of Perseus.

This is also the oldest known shower and records date back to 36AD in China, Sammy Grech, of the Astronomical Society of Malta, said.

The meteors are generally bright and fast - average speed being 59 kilometres per second, leaving a trail. This year the shower peaks at around midnight and as many as one meteor per minute may be seen, the best observing time being the early morning hours before twilight.

There is no specific place from where to watch the shower as long as there is a dark sky. Also, the meteors may be seen in any direction across the sky except for the radiant itself. This year the moon sets early in the night leaving a dark sky as a backdrop for nature's fireworks.

Anyone wishing to capture the flash from such meteors may use a normal camera with standard 50mm lens and bulb setting. The camera, equipped with fast film 400ASA or more, may be mounted on a tripod and the shutter left open for about five minutes, using a cable release hoping that a meteor will streak across the field of view.

The public may join members from the Astronomical Society who will be observing from L-Ahrax tal-Mellieha near the chapel from 9.30 p.m. onwards.