Watching the sky at night (not the programme!) Is something we’ve all done with wonder, and now with the internet and programmes like Stargazing Live on BBC to help us out, it’s never been easier to find out more about our night sky.

So it’s with great pleasure to tell you that July is a great month for stargazing! Between late July (roughly the 23rd) and mid August the Perseid Meteor Shower will hopefully light up our sky! This is an extra special year though, with the additional visual treat of a waxing crescent moon to enjoy before the meteors start flying!

The main event of the time period for the Perseid Meteor Shower is going to be roughly on the nights of the 11th and 12th of August, when the shower is at its peak, and the meteors will look like they’re raining from the constellation, Perseus!

If enjoying this event is something you wish to try, then follow these tips to make the most from your time out there....

• Drive somewhere excluded enough to avoid light pollution. The countryside is perfect. A great place in Hertford would be heading out to Chapmore End from Bengeo. With Hertford to your back there’s a good expanse of open land with little light, and it’s hilly enough to get a good view of as much sky as possible.

• Dress warm. It might be a lovely evening when you leave the house, but once you’ve been sitting in the dark for 3 hours you’ll soon start to shiver!

• Bring deck chairs. These are perfect to sitting right back and keeping your view on the night sky, and they’ll keep you off the cold ground.

• If you’re going to bring star charts, use a red filtered torch to avoid upsetting your ‘night trained’ eyes.

• Keep looking! Meteors travel fast, so just sit back, relax and you’ll see something soon enough.

• Make sure it’s a clear night. Quite an obvious tip!

Finally if you head out this summer to view the Perseid Meteor Shower then please send in any pictures you may have taken to hertford@thebestof.co.uk or post them onto our Facebook wall, and if astronomy is something you’d like to find out more about, then please take a look at the Hertford Astronomy Group. This is a locally run group with interesting talks and opportunities to observe the night sky from their regular meeting point just outside of Hertford.

Thanks for reading!