WATCH - Why this year is a good year to watch the Perseid meteor shower
The annual Perseid meteor shower is expected to peak overnight on August 12-13, offering ideal viewing conditions due to a new moon. Experts recommend finding a dark location away from light pollution to fully experience the event.
Why it matters
It provides a rare, accessible opportunity for the public to engage with astronomy and natural phenomena.
If you've never seen a shooting star before, this could be your chance.
That's because of the annual Perseid meteor shower, which is expected to light up the night sky this week - peaking overnight on Aug. 12-13.
Under ideal conditions, you could see hundreds of meteors streaking across the sky late at night or early in the morning before dawn.
It's the brightest meteor shower of the year, according to NASA. But what causes the dazzling lights?
For stargazers, light pollution is not your friend.
That's according to Pauline Barmby, an astronomy professor at Western University in London, Ontario.
"You have to be out in the dark for quite a while, like 30 minutes, with no bright lights around, to let your eyes adjust," she said in an interview with CBC Kids News.
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