This weekend, Canadians will be able to catch a mesmerizing light show when they look up.
On Sunday at around 8:05 p.m. EDT, the Orionid meteor shower is expected to start reaching its peak, CNN reports.
The shower started Sept. 26 and is expected to last until Nov. 22, but the best chance at seeing the meteors is happening this weekend, according to a NASA blog post.
For stargazers in the northern hemisphere, the best time to see the shower is early Monday morning, just after midnight, NASA says.
Throughout the evening, the shower is predicted to produce about 23 meteors per hour.
"The Orionids, which peak during mid-October each year, are considered to be one of the most beautiful showers of the year," NASA's post reads. "Orionid meteors are known for their brightness and for their speed."
The meteors travel at about 166,000 km/h into Earth's atmosphere, according to NASA.
Canadians are encouraged to watch for the meteors under a dark sky with no moon, away from light pollution.
WHERE DO THE METEORS COME FROM?
The shower is from a pathway of dust particles from Halley's Comet, which only comes into orbit every 76 years — the next time the comet is expected to be visible is in 2061.
Halley's Comet was last seen in 1986, but during its time whizzing around Earth, its nucleus expelled ice and rocky debris leaving a streak in space.
"The dust grains eventually become the Orionids in October and the Eta Aquarids in May if they collide with Earth's atmosphere," NASA's post reads.
NASA adds people should watch the night sky for about 30 minutes beforehand to ensure their eyes have adjusted to the light ahead of the meteor shower.
"Come prepared with a sleeping bag, blanket, or lawn chair. Lie flat on your back with your feet facing southeast if you are in the Northern Hemisphere…and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible," the post reads.
