Geminid Meteors Peak, Moon Interferes

The annual Geminid meteor shower will peak Tuesday and Wednesday nights, and although the December supermoon will wash it out a bit this year, sky gazers can still expect to see a dazzling show. 

"It's usually the best meteor shower of the year," NASA meteor expert Bill Cooke told Space.com.

Generally, the shower produces about 120 falling stars an hour under dark skies, but this year, because of the simultaneous full moon, it will produce about 40 meteors an hour for people living outside of light-polluted areas.

The meteors will peak around 2 a.m. local time, Cooke said, so that will be the best time for people to see it in North America. 

"Bundle up and keep warm," he advised.

Nearly 200 years old, the Geminid meteor shower was first recorded in 1833 from a riverboat on the Mississippi River. 

"They've been gaining strength ever since," Cooke said.

Cooke says to look towards the constellation Gemini, which will be located high up in the northeastern sky just above and to the right of the constellation Orian, to get the best view.

According to weather.com meteorologist Chris Dolce, the best chance for viewing in the eastern states will be Wednesday since cloud cover will likely be abundant Tuesday night. Overall, the central states should have mainly clear skies, though there could be some clouds around the Great Lakes and in Plains.

The Southwest should also have good viewing conditions, while the Northwest, including northern California, may see cloudy skies from a weather system approaching the region, particularly Wednesday, Dolce says.

The meteor shower is produced as the Earth passes through particles from the asteroid 3200 Phaethon, which scientist believe collided with another object in the distant past to produce the stream of particles that produce the falling stars. 

To get the best view, "find a comfortable spot to lie on the ground, far away from lights and ideally in a dark-sky area. Bring a blanket and dress warmly if you're in cold weather. Give your eyes about 20-30 minutes to adjust to the dark, then sit back and enjoy the show," notes Space.com.

EarthSky suggests bringing along a friend or family member to watch with you. 

"Then two of you can watch in different directions. When someone sees one, they can call out 'meteor!' This technique will let you see more meteors than one person watching alone will see," the website advises.

MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Geminid Meteor Shower - Dec 2015