The Geminid meteor shower is set to peak overnight in what could bring "several dozen meteors per hour" to Chicago-area skies.
The annual meteor shower, known as a favorite among watchers, is expected to peak on late Monday and into Tuesday.
According to the Adler Planetarium, the meteor shower peaks at 10 p.m. CT and "under dark and clear skies, several dozen meteors per hour may be seen."
There's a potential for a subtle increase in cloud cover overnight, so Chicago-area viewers might not have the best conditions for watching, but things could still be visible.
The moon's light could also interfere with viewing, so some experts recommend the best time for viewing may actually be before dawn Tuesday.
NBC 5 Storm Team meteorologists said viewers will likely want to watch between 2 and 4 a.m. CT.
Adler experts say no special equipment is needed to view this shower and those who want to catch a glimpse will only need "a clear, dark, safe place."
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And all you have to do is look up.
According to Earth Sky, the meteors in annual showers like the Geminid "appear in all parts of the sky."
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"It’s even possible to have your back to the constellation Gemini and see a Geminid meteor fly by," the publication reports.
