How To See The Geminids, One Of The Strongest Meteor Showers Of The Year

The annual Geminid meteor shower, which the American Meteor Society says is often "the strongest meteor shower of the year," will peak this year from Dec. 13-14, and visibility this year should get a little help from a thin crescent moon, which won't block much of the show. Stargazers can expect to see up to 120 meteors an hour, with some of them appearing slow, bright and/or colorful.

What Are The Geminids?

Nearly 200 years old, the Geminid meteor shower was first recorded in 1833 from a riverboat on the Mississippi River. The Geminids get their name because they appear to radiate from the constellation Gemini, though early astronomers didn't understand this connection until the late 1800s.

According to NASA, the first showers were not noteworthy, containing only 10 to 20 meteors per hour. Over the centuries, however, the Geminids have become one of the best and most reliable meteor showers of the year. Bright and fast, the Geminids also tend to be yellow in color.

Most meteor showers originate from comets, but the Geminids come from an asteroid called 3200 Phaethon that measures just 3.17 miles across. This unusual asteroid wasn't discovered until 1983 by NASA's Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS), making the Geminids unique as the only major meteor shower with a parent body that was discovered after the shower itself.

For over 150 years, astronomers couldn't explain what caused the Geminids since no known comet matched their orbit — until Phaethon was found. We see the meteors because Earth is crossing through a "cloud" of dust from 3200 Phaethon's orbit around the sun.

Unlike most meteor showers that fade over millennia, the Geminids are actually getting stronger each year as Earth moves deeper into Phaethon's debris trail.

How To See Them

However, don't stare directly at the radiant — meteors will appear throughout the sky, and you'll see longer "trails" by looking 45 to 90 degrees away from Gemini.

Bring a blanket or reclining chair and try the lie-down trick — you'll see more meteors looking up at a 45-degree angle than craning your neck straight up. A red flashlight will help preserve your night vision better than white light. Remember to check the weather before you go and to wear plenty of warm clothing if it's cold where you live.

Wondering if your area will have clear skies for the show? According to weather.com meteorologist Jennifer Gray, "The Southern half of the country will have the best opportunity for viewing Saturday and Sunday nights. The Gulf Coast states and Southeast, especially. The West will depend on where you are. Much of the Midwest, Ohio Valley and Northeast will have decent cloud cover. By Sunday night, more opportunities will open up for portions of the Plains."

While the shower peaks Dec. 13-14, decent viewing extends from Dec. 4-20, so remember: Cloudy nights on peak days don't entirely ruin your chances of catching the show.

Senior writer Chris DeWeese edits Morning Brief, The Weather Channel’s weekday newsletter.