This Memorial Day weekend, Washingtonians will get a special treat -- thousands of shooting stars will light up the sky Friday night.
A new meteor shower called Camelopardalids is set to light up the sky from late Friday evening into early Saturday morning. Scientists say we could see up to 400 meteors an hour.
This new shower is the result of Earth passing the dusty trail of Comet 209P/Linear, which was discovered in 2004. Over the past 200 years, the comet has been pushed closer to Earth by Jupiter's gravity. Luckily for us, North America -- and Washington, D.C. -- happens to be especially well positioned to see the shower.
So if you're feeling up to the occasion, grab a blanket, turn off the lights and head outside. Storm Team4 meteorologist Tom Kierein says the skies Saturday morning should be clear for viewing. However, it's best to go to an area with an open view of the sky, away from city lights.
Oh, and don't forget to make a few wishes.
The shower is expected to peak early Saturday morning between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. Look toward the north near the Big Dipper.
If you can't make it outside to watch, you can catch a livestream of the event above.
