The best places to watch the most spectacular meteor shower of the year tonight

Most of the world, except for parts of Australia, South America, and Antarctica, can see the shower, but your ability to view the meteors will depend on the local weather. You need clear skies. Otherwise, stargazers should be able to spot shooting stars any time after dark.

If you live in the UK, the north of England has the best chance of seeing the shower, according to a map shared by the Met Office. The viewing conditions in Northern Ireland and Scotland aren't so great.

The Perseid meteor shower happens as earth passes through a stream of debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle.

It can be seen each year from the end of July through most of August, but this week is when skygazers will be able to see the most meteors each hour.

At its peak on Wednesday night into Thursday morning, observers could see 50 to 100 meteors per hour, or about one to two per minute.

This year, the meteor shower coincides with the new moon, meaning the sky will be dark, creating better-than-normal conditions to spot meteors.

The best way to watch any meteor shower is to get as far away from city lights as you can. Then, just turn your head to the sky. You don't need any special equipment.

The Met Office has shared this handy guide to viewing the shower. Check it out:

If you snap photos of the shower, send your pictures to dspector@businessinsider.com or tweet them to @BI_Europe, and we'll share them here.