The earth is right now streaking through a debris field called the Perseids, which causes the particles in the field to put on a nighttime show as they burn up in the atmosphere. The meteor shower lasts from mid-July to late August, but peak meteor showers will peak this weekend, on Saturday night. Link to a New York Times article here.
In the northern hemisphere, the moon will be below the horizon for most of the night, and only a slim crescent when it rises near dawn, so viewing conditions will be optimal.
Embedded below is a video explaining the Perseids and offering viewing tips from NASA.
