(cbcnews)

Perseids 2015: Biggest meteor shower of the year peaks tonight

Watch for shooting stars tonight — the biggest meteor

shower of the year will reach its peak, and unusually

dark skies could make it an especially good show.

The annual Perseid meteor shower happens every

August when Earth passes through debris left by comet

Swift-Tuttle. When the tiny chunks of rock crash through

the Earth's atmosphere and burn up, they leave trails of

light that we see as meteors. The Perseids produce more

visible meteors than any other annual meteor shower.

This year, the Perseids peak early Thursday morning,

and the best time to watch is between midnight and

dawn.