The Geminid meteor shower reaches its peak this week: Here's what to expect from the last major meteor shower of the year

The Geminid meteor shower is one of the most prolific annual meteor showers, impressing sky watchers year after year.

In darkness it is possible to see up to 120 meteors per hour Geminids highlight every year.

Unfortunately for sky watchers this year, almost Full moon could hamper shooting star hunting when the Geminid meteor shower peaks overnight on December 13th and 14th. Although the moonlight will wash out the fainter meteors, some of the larger and brighter meteors will still be visible. So if you have clear skies it’s definitely worth a look.

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Night sky graphic showing the Milky Way at the top of the circle with a pair of cartoon eyes in the center of the image. — (Image credit: Daisy Dobrijevic/Canva)

Stay up to date on what you can see tonight with our night sky live blog.

The Geminid meteor shower is caused by debris near Earth asteroid 3200 Phaethon – a strange asteroid that shows itself comet-similar behavior and completes its orbit the sun approximately every 1.4 years.

3200 Phaethon may have collided with another celestial object long ago, resulting in a stream of particles flowing through the Earth and causing the Gemind meteor shower. As Earth These “asteroid fragments,” moving through the particle trail left behind by these space rocks, ignite as they enter our atmosphere, creating distinctive streaks of light.

Gemind meteors are usually quite easy to spot because they appear bright and intensely colored American Meteor Society. The meteors seem to radiate from there Gemini constellation which will be clearly visible high in the sky of the northern hemisphere from around 10 p.m. local time. Due to the bright, 92% illuminated moon at the time of Gemind’s peak, I recommend standing on your back the moon and look towards the darkest section of the sky for the best chance of spotting some Geminid meteors.

Graphic shows the constellation Gemini in the sky to the left of Orion with meteors that appear to come from Gemini.

The Geminid meteor shower appears to radiate from the constellation Gemini. (Image credit: Daisy Dobrijevic/Future)

Dress warmly or even bring a hot drink, make yourself comfortable and give your eyes time to adjust. With patience and a bit of luck, you might be able to see some of the most beautiful meteor showers of the year despite the moon.

If you can’t reach Geminds Peak, don’t worry, the meteor shower is active until around December 24th, giving you plenty of time to catch a glimpse of the last prolific meteor shower of the year.

Clear skies and good luck.

If you want to try photographing the Geminids or other meteor showers on camera, we can help you learn and purchase what you need. Check out our guide to photographing meteors and meteor showers. If you need imaging gear, consider our best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography.

Editor’s note: If you have a breathtaking view of the Geminid meteor shower or any other night sky View you would like to share with Space.com for a possible story or gallery, send images and comments to: [email protected].

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The Geminid meteor shower reaches its peak this week: Here’s what to expect from the last major meteor shower of the year

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