STARGAZERS in the North-East are set to watch a meteor shower that will peak tonight.

The Draconid meteor shower will light up dark skies tonight, Thursday, October 8 and will be visible until the early hours of the morning on October 9.

Named after the constellation of Draco the dragon, the Draconids take place every year and is one of the two meteor showers to light up the skies in October.

The annual treat is best seen just after nightfall, in the early evening, so head out after sunset at around 6.25pm. 

Seasoned and novice astronomers alike may be waiting out in the cold for some time though, as only 10 to 20 meteors per hour are usually at this shower's peak.

Meteors will be visible through clouds of dust from a comet -  21P/Giacobini-Zinner - that orbits around the sun for six-and-a-half years.

The stargazing event used to be called the Giacobinids due to the comet the shooting stars originate from.

The Draconids will be visible in northern America, Europe and Asia until October 10, and have been going since October 6.

Where can I watch it in the North-East?

Anyone wishing to spot the shower should head out to an area with low light pollution and give their eyes time to adjust to the dark.

If you can't get to the countryside or coast, try a balcony or rooftop but minimise light.

Anna Ross, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich said: "Allow around 20 minutes to let your eyes adapt to the dark.

“It may also be advisable to lie down as you may be looking up for a long time.”

Keen stargazers should also check the weather before heading out as clouds may block the natural wonder.

A second meteor shower, the Orionids, will also take place later this month and will peak on October 22.