One of the best meteor showers of the year will peak the night of December 13  with around 120 meteors per hour. 

How to Watch the Geminids Meteor Shower

The Geminids will reach their peak the night of December 13th into the early morning hours of December 14th. During its peak, 120 Geminid meteors can be seen per hour under perfect conditions. The Geminids are bright and fast meteors and tend to be yellow.

The shower starts around 9 or 10 p.m. through dawn. Give your eyes around 30 minutes to adjust to the dark to see the meteors. Read our tips for stargazing.

The Geminids can be seen all over the world starting around 9pm and lasting through the night. If you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, there will be fewer meteors—maybe around 50 an hour.

About the Geminids Meteor Shower

The Geminids get their name from the constellation Gemini, as the meteors appear to radiate from a point in the sky near the constellation Gemini, the “Twins.” 

However, the actual source of the meteors is the asteroid 3200 Phaethon—unlike other meteor showers that originate from a comet. The Geminids meteor shower occurs every December when the Earth passes through the debris left behind by 3200 Phaethon.

The 2023 Geminids meteor shower will last until December 24.