In this 30-second exposure, a meteor streaks across the sky during the annual Perseid meteor shower on Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2021, in Spruce Knob, West Virginia. (NASA/Bill Ingalls)NASA/Bill Ingalls

The year’s premier meteor shower has arrived.

The Perseids meteor shower will peak Saturday, bringing bright, quick-moving meteors to the night sky.

Though the Perseids have been active since mid-July, the shower’s highest rate of meteors will arrive Saturday. Stargazers could see as many as 100 meteors each hour, each traveling at 37 miles per second, according to NASA.

Perseids meteors are known for “wakes,” trails of light and color left behind as they burn up in Earth’s atmosphere, the space agency said. But the shower is also beloved for its distinctive fireballs — flashy trails of light that remain visible longer than a typical meteor streak.

There are certain advantages to the Perseids peaking in mid-August. For one, the weather.

Across Massachusetts, both Friday and Saturday nights are forecast to stay around the 50s or low 60s, with minimal cloud cover, according to the National Weather Service.

But with sunset around 8 p.m., it will not be until after 10 p.m. that the sky is dark enough to catch the meteors, NASA said. The Perseids are best viewed in the pre-dawn hours, during the darkest time of night. Since the show will only get better as the sky gets darker, be prepared to spend a late night out beneath the stars.

Though the meteor shower peaks Saturday, the days surrounding it will also be prime viewing time. Tuesday through Thursday could feature nighttime storms, and Sunday may be partly cloudy, National Weather Service forecasters said. Friday and Saturday nights will be more optimal stargazing times.

Excluding the weather, the most significant barrier to seeing meteors comes from light pollution. City lights can drown out starlight, providing a diminished view of the night sky to urban areas. Therefore, the best spots to catch the Perseids — and any night sky spectacle — will be far from city lights.

For those by the coast, beaches can often be an ideal dark spot, since little light comes from the ocean. Other hopeful stargazers should find rural, open spaces with plenty of open sky above them.

Come prepared with a sleeping bag, lawn chair or blanket. After temperatures in the 90s, a cool 50- or 60-degree night could feel shockingly chilly.

Stargazers should sit back, capturing the whole night sky in their view, and allow their eyes to adjust to the light for at least 30 minutes.

Look toward the north, the origin point of the meteor shower, NASA suggests, and be patient: the spectacle will only get better as the night goes on.

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