Meteor showers occur when Earth passes through a trail of debris left by a comet or asteroid. As these tiny particles enter the atmosphere at high speeds, they burn up and create bright streaks of light in the sky, known as meteors or "shooting stars." These events can be predicted and often happen at specific times of the year, such as the Perseid meteor shower in August or the Geminid meteor shower in December. The best time to observe meteor showers is usually after midnight, when the sky is darkest and the number of visible meteors can increase significantly.