Intense meteor shower set to be visible over Irish skies tonight

One of the most intense meteor showers is set to peak and be visible over Irish skies tonight.

The Quadrantid Meteor Shower runs from December 28 until January 12 and can produce up to 120 shooting stars every hour.

The peak is set to last up to six hours late tonight and early tomorrow morning and experts say it's best to get out into a wide open space with as little light pollution as possible to see its full effects.

Shooting stars, or meteoroids, are small, rocky particles that heat up and vaporize which then release energy and are visible as streaks of bright lights across the night sky. 

The Quadrantid meteor shower is thought to be caused by debris and dust left in the inner solar system by an asteroid that orbits the sun every five and a half years.

Tonight's peak is set to coincide with the moon's last quarter phase which means the moonlight could interfere with the viewing of this celestial event but it is certainly not to be missed.