Like all comets, Comet 209P/LINEAR, discovered in 2004, leaves a trail of dust, ice and debris behind it. On May 23 and 24, according to projections, a large amount of that debris will hit Earth’s atmosphere, creating a spectacular meteor shower.

The comet orbits the sun every five years and, if astronomer’s calculations are correct, the Earth will pass through all of the debris trails it has left between 1803 and 1924 in May.

Given how new the discovery of this comet is, however, there may be no meteor shower at all. The predictions for the shower range from 100 meteors per hour all the way to 1,000 per hour, according to Space.com.

For observers in the continental United States and southern Canada, the shower is expected to radiate from Polaris, at the end of the handle in the little dipper. The highest concentration of meteors is expected at about midnight on each night.

The skies on May 23 and 24 should be especially dark due to the waning moon. For the best view, sky watchers should avoid city lights and look for a park, campground or other location where light pollution will be minimized. Local astronomy clubs are a good resource for finding a good viewing spot.

For those who want to watch the easy way, the Slooh Community Observatory will have a live video stream of the event. It will include discussions and commentary from Slooh host Geoff Fox, Slooh observatory director Paul Cox, Slooh astronomer Bob Berman, NASA astronomer Dr. Peter Jenniskens and NASA’s Asteroid Grand Challenge Program Executive, Jason Kessler.