I’ll have a stiff neck for the next couple of days. It’s the week of the Perseid Meteor Shower. Actually, the shooting stars from this event streak across the sky throughout July and August, but the peak is this week – specifically at 2 a.m. on August 12. If the sky is clear, you can expect to see 60 or more meteors an hour. But wait! There’s more! The 13th is also a triple whammy of planet-viewing. Just after sunset, look to the western sky by that little sliver of a crescent moon. You’ll see Venus, Mars, and Saturn in the twilight sky. The Perseids will be really good that night, too.

I am an unapologetic meteor shower junkie. Forget the scientific explanations (the Perseids are debris from a disintegrated comet, for example). For me, it’s all magic and wonder and making wishes. Glittering surprises from the cosmos, Tinkerbelles winking as they race each other to the horizon.

The back roads through Delmarva’s marshes and the unlighted beaches are perfect for viewing the showers. Assateague State Park and National Seashore beaches are also prime spots. Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge is closing the OSV area to vehicles to allow for all-night viewing on August 12. The park next to the Island House on Wachapreague is also a good spot. The restaurant is open until 9 p.m. Take your dessert ‘to go.’ The Delaware Seashore State Park has a stargazing program at 8:30 on the 11th. Bring a blanket and no flashlights. $5 per person. There’s even a cruise that leaves Lewes on the night of the 11th and returns at dawn on the 12th. (302-645-8862. $50 per person. Reservations required).

But any place away from house lights, buildings, or street lamps works just fine. I’ve spent some nights sitting in a lawn chair in the field with the horses hovering around me, undoubtedly trying to figure out what I’m doing. Grab a blanket, find a dark spot, and take a list of wishes to make upon the stars.