Stargazers are being encouraged to mid Wales in August to experience a rare celestial double-header.

On Wednesday, 12 August, a deep partial solar eclipse followed by the peak of the Perseid meteor shower will take place in the skies above us.

This alignment is an exceptionally rare event; a major meteor shower has not coincided with a solar eclipse for 27 years, and a dual spectacle of this scale will not occur again for centuries.

The late-afternoon show begins around 6:15 pm BST as the Moon passes in front of the Sun.

Skywatchers in Mid Wales will see one of the deepest eclipses in the UK, with roughly 94% of the Sun obscured by the Moon at 7:12 pm BST, before the event wraps up at 8:06 pm BST.

"All you need to enjoy this rare spectacle is a pair of solar eclipse glasses, and there is still time to buy a pair, which costs just under £5," said Sam Price, Dark Sky Officer for the Elan Valley International Dark Sky Park.

"Look out for public events that are running, as they will provide not just safety equipment to enjoy the view, but good company with like-minded people. Do not look at the sun with the unaided eye, even at maximum eclipse."

Once the Sun goes down, the night's main event begins. The Perseids – the undisputed champion of summer stargazing – will streak across the dark sky at rates over 100 shooting stars per hour under perfect conditions.

These fast-moving pieces of debris from Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle vaporise in the atmosphere, leaving long smoke trails in their wake.

Because the shower peaks during a New Moon, the absence of moonlight creates near-perfect dark-sky conditions. Protected areas like the Elan Valley International Dark Sky Park are a prime viewing hub for this once-in-a-lifetime event.