( CNN ) -- The cosmos has aligned , quite literally , for families , space geeks and insomniacs alike , as the Earth is set to intercept a new meteor shower late Friday into Saturday . The scientists who discovered the cosmic debris say the Camelopardalid shower could be `` significant . '' Some forecasts show 200 to 1,000 meteors an hour between 2 and 4 a.m. Eastern Time on Saturday . NASA says North America is in the best position to get a glimpse because the peak of the shower will appear during our nighttime , and the debris will `` radiate '' from a position favorable for viewing . `` We expect these meteors to radiate from a point in Camelopardalis , also known as 'the giraffe , ' a faint constellation near the North Star , '' according to Bill Cooke , who heads NASA 's Meteoroid Environment Office . More than just the potential for a spectacular light show , stargazers could witness a rare cosmic event . Awe-inspiring photos : 'Blood moon ' mesmerizes sky gazers . `` New meteor showers do n't come along that often . It 'll be the first time in a generation that a new meteor shower will show up , '' according to CNN Meteorologist Sean Morris . Where to see them . The best place to watch the shower will be east of the Mississippi River or in California . Precipitation over the Plains and Pacific Northwest could make viewing there difficult . If you 're having trouble seeing it , or if you want to join other amateur astronomers across the country as it happens , NASA 's website will host a live chat from 11 p.m. Friday until 3 a.m. EDT Saturday , as well as offering a live view of the skies over Huntsville , Alabama . Instead of staring at a screen , though , Cooke encourages everyone to look up . `` There could be a new meteor shower , and I want to see it with my own eyes , '' he said . The Camelopardalids . The name of the shower , Camelopardalids , refers to the constellation and the angle in our sky from where the meteors will appear . The shower is made up of debris from Comet 209P/LINEAR , according to NASA . It crosses the Earth 's orbit once every five years as it circles the sun . In 2012 , NASA announced that Earth would encounter debris from this comet crossing our orbit this weekend . Astronaut tells kid , 'You 'd love it up here '
Camelopardalids will be visible Friday night into Saturday morning . It 's the first new meteor shower in a generation , meteorologist says . Clouds could impede viewing in the Plains and Pacific Northwest .