Point your eyes to the sky this Wednesday night! The Perseid meteor shower will peak during the late evening hours of Wednesday, Aug. 12 and into Thursday, Aug. 13. Stargazers in the Northern Hemisphere can expect to see up to 100 meteors per hour.

This week's display will be particularly dazzling. A lack of moonlight will result in optimal viewing conditions as the meteors burn brightly against the dark night sky,NASA reports.

Meteors occur when particulate matter enters Earth's atmosphere. "These particles heat the air around them, causing the characteristic streak of light seen from the ground," the Royal Astronomical Society explains.