A Never-Before-Seen Meteor Shower Peaks This Weekend - Here's How To Watch

A new meteor shower is expected to peak in the early morning hours on Saturday, May 24, with some forecasters predicting more than 200 meteors per hour.

The shower happens as Earth passes through a stream of debris from Comet 209P/LINEAR, which makes a full orbit of the sun every five years. The comet was discovered a little more than a decade ago in February 2004.

Because the meteor shower has never been seen before, scientists don't know exactly what to expect. If the debris field is large, it could be a spectacular show (one that even rivals the Perseids in August).

It could also be a snooze-fest. "It all depends on how active the comet was more a century ago," NASA said in a video. That's when the streams of dust that Earth is now crossing were ejected by the comet.

The meteor shower gets its name because the space rocks appear to originate from the constellation Camelopardalis, also known as the giraffe, near the north star.

Viewing Times

The best viewing will be between 2 to 4 a.m. EDT, according to NASA. Folks in the Northern Hemisphere will have a better show - provided observers have clear, dark skies away from city lights - because the peak occurs during the nighttime hours.

"Because this is a new meteor shower, surprises are possible," NASA said. "Outbursts could occur hours before or after the forecasted peak."

Where To Watch

If you can't step outside or weather conditions are poor, Slooh will live broadcast the shower, accompanied by commentary from a handful of meteor experts. The broadcast will begin at 11 p.m. EDT on Friday, May 23.