The Perseid meteor shower will soon light up the night sky above California.

This year, the popular astronomical event is expected to peak overnight from late Sunday to early Monday morning, according to Space.com.

During that time period, “There is almost no moon, making the late-night sky nice and dark for shooting star spectators and counters,” the space website said.

EarthSky.org predicts that the meteor shower may be visible early Tuesday morning, too.

What is a meteor?

Meteors are essentially debris in the sky. They come from leftover comets and broken asteroids, NASA states.

When the Earth makes passes through the meteors each year, they disintegrate.

“As they burn up in Earth’s atmosphere, the meteors leave bright streaks in the sky commonly referred to as ‘shooting stars,’ ” NASA said on its website.

This is the reason meteor showers occur around the same time of year, according to NASA.

When is the Perseid meteor shower?

The Perseids are considered the “most popular meteor shower” because they peak on warm summer nights as seen from Earth’s Northern Hemisphere, according to the American Meteor Society, a nonprofit organization.

The Perseid meteor shower is active from July through September.

It reaches its maximum in mid-August, usually around Aug. 12 or 13, depending on the year, the organization said.

“Normal rates seen from rural locations range from 50 to 75 shower members per hour at maximum,” the American Meteor Society said.

The Perseids are particles released from Comet Swift–Tuttle, also known as Comet 109P, during its “numerous returns to the inner solar system,” the organization said.

What’s the best way to watch meteor shower in California?

According to EarthSky, the moon will be in its first quarter phase and is expected to be 50% illuminated during the meteor shower’s peak.

The website recommends watching the Perseids around midnight to dawn.

“This shower rises to a peak gradually, then falls off rapidly,” EarthSky said. “And Perseid meteors tend to strengthen in number as late night deepens into the wee hours before dawn.”

The American Meteor Society said that the moon will set around 1 a.m., local daylight saving time.

“This is a favorable coincidence as this is the time that strong activity begins to occur from this shower,” the organization said.

How do I get the best view of shooting stars?

Some tips by Space.com include finding a wide-open sky view with no light pollution and being patient and allowing your eyes some time to adapt to the darkness.

“The direction to watch is not necessarily toward Perseus but wherever your sky is darkest, probably straight up,” the website said.

To get the best view, NASA said you should:

•Find an area away from city lights or street lights.

•Bring a sleeping bag, blanket, or lawn chair.

•Lie flat on your back with your feet facing east and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible.

•Wait about 30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark.

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