The early hours of Thursday morning, between midnight and 5.30am, will be the ideal viewing time for Perseids, while the solar eclipse will be visible from the UK on Wednesday evening before sunset. READ MORE: How will clouds impact Scotland's view of solar eclipse? The shower meteors are named after the point in the sky where they appear to originate in the constellation of Perseus. Although the shower is set to peak overnight on August 12 to 13, the shower will be active until 24 August. For those wishing to view the solar eclipse, experts have warned that eclipse glasses are important for safe viewing and that sunglasses are insufficient.