Stargazers invited to Stonehenge

Remote locations make good places to view the spectacle

Stargazers planning to watch the annual Perseid meteor shower are being urged to head to remote areas such as the land around Stonehenge in Wiltshire.

The National Trust has published its top seven sites for viewing the spectacle which will peak on Wednesday.

The sites include Black Down in Sussex, Teign Valley in Devon, Penbryn Beach in Wales and Stonehenge in Wiltshire.

Also on the list are Wicken Fen in Cambridgeshire, Mam Tor in Derbyshire and Friar's Crag in Cumbria.

Jo Burgon, head of access and recreation at the National Trust, said: "Light pollution from our towns and cities has increased so much in recent years but head out to the countryside for the perfect place to explore the beauty of the night sky, away from the intrusive glow."

Jonathan Shanklin, from the British Astronomical Association, said: "Seeing a bright fireball blazing across the heavens is an awe-inspiring sight and can trigger a life-long interest in astronomy.

"These shooting stars are tiny fragments of comets, which are themselves remnants from the birth of our solar system."

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