Greater Manchester borough named one of England's best stargazing spots ahead of Geminid meteor shower

The spectacular Geminid meteor shower is expected to peak between 14 and 15 December, and one Greater Manchester borough has been named as one of the top locations to stargaze.

The Geminid meteor shower occurs every year in December and it is one of the most active showers. In some years is has been the strongest, with a peak rate of up to 150 meteors per hour.

It is also the one major shower that shows good activity before midnight - great for those who don't want to stay up all night to star gaze.

READ MORE: 50 magical photos of Manchester Christmas Parade 2024

For the best viewing conditions, you need to find a safe location away from street lights and other sources of light pollution. The meteors can be seen in all parts of the sky, so it’s ideal to go to a wide open space where you can scan the night sky with your eyes.

Outdoor experts at Millets have analysed factors such as light pollution levels and air quality index scores to reveal the best areas in England to stargaze.

The Greater Manchester borough of Rochdale has been named among the best areas in the country for stargazing, due to its low light pollution and high air quality index.

Rochdale received a star gazing score of 9.32 out of 10, in sixth place on the leaderboard.

In first place is Barnsley, South Yorkshire. This Yorkshire market town has been awarded a stargazing score of 9.92 out of 10 as it has one of the lowest light pollution levels which contributes towards the perfect conditions to catch a glimpse of the stars and meteor showers in the night sky.

Northampton took second place, with the town scoring a stargazing score of 9.87 out of 10. Northampton has the lowest light pollution levels in England at 1.85 mcd/m2, making it the perfect