IRELAND MAY BE IN THE GUTTER, but tonight we could all be looking at the stars.

Shooting stars that is – because for the next few days, the yearly spectacle that is the Perseid meteor shower will be visible.

More than 60 meteors an hour will be shooting across the night sky, which according to Astronomy Ireland‘s chairman, David Moore, could mean that you could see one star a minute catapulting across the skies.

The Perseids have been observed for around 2,000 years and are only visible if you live north of the equator. They can be seen perfectly with the naked eye – although if you want a good view of the amazing “trains” that the burning meteors leave in their wake then it is a good idea to use binoculars.

The shower reaches its peak on Thursday night between midnight and 3am. So set up your coffee machine and get ready for one of the most rewarding astronomical events on Earth.

Check out what to expect by watching a video of last year’s Perseid meteor shower: