The famous Leonid meteor shower peaks this weekend and sky gazers could be in for a treat -- if they're patient.
Every November, the Earth passes through debris trails from the Tempel-Tuttle comet, a small space object measuring 2.24 miles across, according to NASA. When pieces of this debris interact with the Earth's atmosphere, they disintegrate to "create fiery and colorful streaks in the sky," known as the Leonid meteor shower.
The comet takes 33 years to complete its orbit around the sun and when it does, a meteor storm takes place, during which it can look like meteors are falling like rain with as many as 1,000 meteors per hour. The last Leonid meteor storm happened in 2002 and is expected again in 2031.
While this weekend's shower won't be particularly dazzling, the Leonid meteors could still put on a show.
Leonids are "known for their fireballs and Earth-grazer meteors," according to NASA. Fireballs are larger explosions of light and color that can persist longer than an average meteor streak, while earth-grazers are meteors that streak close to the horizon and are known for their long and colorful tails. They're also fast: Leonids travel at speeds of 44 miles per second, and are considered to be some of the fastest meteors.
The meteor shower is expected to reach its peak early Sunday, November 17. The best time to see meteors is in "the hour just before the break of dawn," according to Space.com.
"{The constellation] Leo does not start coming fully into view until the after-midnight hours, so that would be the best time to concentrate on looking for Leonids," the website noted.
NASA says you don't have to look in any particular direction and that the Leonids are visible across the entire night sky. However, as EarthSky pointed out, the full moon falls on Nov. 15 and its bright glow will likely wash out some meteors.
While the Leonids usually produce 15 to 20 visible meteors per hour, the American Meteor Society is predicting rates of about 4 or 5 meteors per hour due to the brightness of the moon.
For the best chance to catch a sight of these meteors, get to a place away from city lights, where most of the stars are visible in the sky.
"Orient yourself with your feet toward the east, lie flat on your back, and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible," NASA suggests. "In less than 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adapt and you will begin to see meteors."
"Be patient – the show will last until dawn, so you have plenty of time to catch a glimpse," NASA added.