#Lighthouses - The most spectacular meteor shower of the year takes place in Ireland each August – and Hook Lighthouse will be the place to see it.

At the world’s oldest original working lighthouse, the dark skies at the tip of the Hook Peninsula underneath the beam of the lighthouse tower offer spectacular views of the constellations and the night skies.

On Saturday 11 August the Lighthouse Visitor Centre will remain open extra late to offer a stargazing evening event to visitors who want to see the Perseids meteor showers like they’ve never been seen before.

Joining the team at Hook Lighthouse to guide the event is special guest astronomer from Big Bear Planetariums, Carl O’Beirnes.

Carl will be on hand to open the evening advising visitors on what to look out for and how to identify the constellations in the night sky.

He will also offer visitors the opportunity to view the planets and deep sky objects visible during the meteor shower via telescopes and share details on how to photograph the night sky and the milky way galaxy.

Carl advises that visitors bring their telescopes and cameras if they wish, but no equipment at all is required for those who wish to relax and enjoy the best movie that nature can offer.

Visitors are advised to dress warmly and to bring deck chairs and blankets as the temperature will drop as the night progresses.

This is a free event and those attending are invited to find a spot on the lighthouse lawns from 7pm to gaze skyward for shooting stars.

The Perseids are created when the Earth crosses the tail of Swift-Tuttle, a comet which takes 133 years to orbit the sun. Meteors are created when tiny flecks of dust and debris from the comet penetrate the Earth’s atmosphere at nearly 60 kilometres per second creating a shockwave. They burn up quickly in the atmosphere leaving the impression of a huge fireball.

The lighthouse will remain open until 11pm offering hot chocolates and snacks at the café. For further details visit www.hookheritage.ie