Geminid meteor showers: When and where and how to watch

It's time for the Geminid meteor shower – the annual celestial spectacle in our skies every December.

The Geminids are the best meteor shower of the year. They are active for around a fortnight and peaks on the evening of December 14.

Meteor showers hit us when our planet runs into the debris field left behind by icy comets or rocky asteroids going around the sun. These small particles burn up in the atmosphere, causing the blazing trails of light we call meteors.


According to NASA, Geminids move at 78,000 mph. These meteors are 40 times faster than a racing bullet, 250 times faster than the world's fastest car, and 1000 times faster than a cheetah.

Any given meteor shower happens at roughly the same time each year. The Geminids, because they appear to come from the direction of the Gemini constellation, hits every December.

Viewers in northern latitudes should have about three hours to see them after the sun sets but before the moon rises. That's when they can expect perhaps five to 10 meteors per hour.

The best ways to observe them better is to contact the astronomical society in your city. Or to head out to the countryside.

Meteor showers are usually best viewed when the sky is darkest. Allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness. This year, however, the Moon will interfere with the best view of the Geminids.