Geminids meteor shower 2017: Stargazers in the UK braze freezing temperatures in hope of witnessing annual display of shooting stars

Stargazers across the UK have braved the early morning cold in a bid to witness the spectacular Geminids meteor shower.

The annual display of hundreds of shooting stars peaked at around 6.30am in the UK, with crowds gathering in London’s open spaces hoping to secure the clearest view.

The Geminids is known around the world as one of the most spectacular celestial events with stargazers spotting up to 120 stars every hour.

Meteors were spotted in the sky above central London, although experts had warned the clearest display would be witnessed in the countryside.

The shower is visible around the world, and NASA has been live-streaming it from its observatory in Huntsville, Alabama.

The organisation also shared a stunning image of the shower on Twitter, telling people: "Heads up, right now! The annual Geminids Meteor Shower is here!"

The Geminids meteor shower is one of the few displays that comes around every year.

People took to social media to report seeing meteors flying through the night sky, with some attempting to photograph the spectacle.

The shower is caused by '3200 Phaethon', a Palladium asteroid which spits shooting stars from its surface.

As Phaethon orbits around the Earth each year, its debris falls into our atmosphere, appearing as colourful meteors across the sky.

Dr Morgan Hollis, of the Royal Astronomical Society, told The Independent: "People in the countryside will have the best view.

“The brightest meteor showers can have up to 100 meteors an hour, or possibly more.”