The Geminidsconsidered one of the best and most reliable meteor showers of the year, is underway and expected to peak Friday night into the early hours of Saturday.
The shower will peak under a nearly full moon, which could make viewing the cosmic spectacle a challenge. Moonlight will wash out fainter meteors during the peak, according to NASA.
“However, the Geminids are known for bright meteors, and it is common to spot their shooting stars up to a week before the peak,” according to NASA. “If you’re up before dawn this week, it’s worth looking up, just in case you catch a glimpse of space dust streaking across the morning sky.”
When and where you can see the Geminids
The near-full moon’s light will reduce the visible rates of Geminids by 50-75 percent during this year’s peak, said Bill Cooke, chief of NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office. The brightest meteors will still be visible, according to NASA.
With the moon bright at its peak night, a U.S. observer can see about 15 Geminids per hour, Cooke said.
“In short, 2024 is a bad year for Geminid observation – December 2025 will be much better,” Cooke said.
The Geminid meteor shower is visible around the world and in the night sky. For optimal viewing conditions, head to a location away from city lights and streets, then lie on your back with your feet pointing south. Give your eyes half an hour to adjust to the darkness.
NASA advises bringing a sleeping bag or blanket to help with the cold while you wait for the Geminids.
The shower usually starts around 9:00 or 10:00 p.m., and meteors are best seen at night or before dawn.
What is a meteor shower?
According to NASA, meteorites are space rocks that enter Earth’s atmosphere and heat up as they fall toward Earth. As they travel across the sky, the hot, glowing air around the meteors gives the meteors the appearance of shooting stars. During meteor showers, many meteors travel through Earth’s atmosphere for a short period.
Most meteors burn up in space. The few that survive the journey and reach earth are considered meteorites.
What makes the Geminids different from other meteor showers?
The Geminids are one of the strongest meteor showers of the year, with a rate of 120 meteors per hour under perfect conditions, according to NASA.
Although most meteor showers come from comets, the Geminids actually come from an asteroid called 3200 Phaeton. NASA researchers say the asteroid it acts like a “strange” comet..
And while NASA says most meteors appear colorless or white, the Geminids are usually yellow.
The annual Geminid meteor shower first appeared in the mid-19th century.