Dec 7, 2021 - Science

Get ready for the Geminid meteor shower

Miriam Kramer

Photo of a person watching a Geminid meteor shower — A Geminid meteor and a sky watcher. Photo: Danny Lawson/PA Images via Getty Images

The Geminid meteor shower will peak early next week, and it should be a good show for those under dark skies.

The big picture: The shower appears in the night sky each December as the Earth passes through the debris left behind by the asteroid 3200 Phaethon.

How it works: The best viewing should be overnight from Dec. 13 into the wee hours of Dec. 14.

Just be sure to pick a spot with a wide view of the sky, no cloud cover and far from city lights. Give your eyes about 30 minutes to adjust.
"Typically the best time to see a meteor shower is between midnight and pre-dawn, because that's when you are on the leading side of the Earth, watching the comet debris come at you like rain hitting a car windshield," the Planetary Society wrote in a post about the shower.

Yes, but: The nearly full Moon could wash out views of meteors as they streak above

Be sure to head out after the Moon has set in your location for the best views.

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Get ready for the Geminid meteor shower

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