By Olly Streather-Paul

AN AMATEUR photographer captured the moment a stunning meteor shower passed over Portland.

Mick Houston, aged 60 and from Weymouth, spent a couple of spooky hours down at Portland Bill in the early hours and was lucky enough to capture a meteor shower passing over.

The Perseid meteor shower saw stargazers around the world head out into the night as more than 70 shooting stars flashed across the night sky every hour.

It was Mr Houston's first attempt at astrophotography.

With a clear sky, minimal moonlight and a little luck he caught this picture of astronomical proportions.

Pictured is the Portland Bill lighthouse illuminating the Trinity House Obelisk and shining over the cliffs, accompanied with the meteor passing shower overhead, the Milky Way galaxy and Jupiter.

Mick, who moved to Portland in 1978 before moving to Weymouth, said he had been waiting for the perfect conditions for the photograph, which took place early Saturday morning.

He said he is a keen amateur golfer and photographer after serving 28 years in the Royal Navy and particularly enjoys photographing local landscapes, developing a recent interest in astrophotography.

Speaking about his photo, he said he was “pretty pleased with the way it has turned out for a first attempt” and was “lucky enough” to capture the meteorite but will “certainly go back and try to improve on it".

He added that he used a Sony A7ii full frame camera with a Samyang 14mm manual lens.

For budding photographers, he suggests planning ahead, patience and advises to take as many pictures of your subject as possible and hope that one of them turns out well.

If you have any photographs of Dorset you’d love to share, email it to us at newsdesk@dorsetecho.co.uk, tweet us @Dorsetecho

You can also join the Echo Camera Club at facebook.com/groups/echocameraclubdorset/