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The peak of the Geminid meteor shower will take place this evening (Wednesday December 13) into tomorrow morning (Thursday December 14).
If the sky is dark and clear, you might get to see a Geminid meteor every minute or two on average from 10pm local time until dawn, according to Sky & Telescope magazine.
Sky & Telescope senior editor Alan MacRobert said: “The Geminids are usually one of the two best meteor showers of the year.
“Sometimes they’re more impressive than the better-known Perseids of August.”
Stargazers who cannot escape the artificial skyglow of light pollution will see fewer meteors. But thankfully the thin waning crescent Moon does not rise until after 3am.
These star charts map the night sky and show how the Geminid meteors will radiate out from the Gemini constellation, which rises in the eastern sky.
The shower’s radiant, near the stars Castor and Pollux, is the point from which all the Geminids would appear to come if you were able to see them approaching.
But you should not keep your gaze on the radiant because meteors will dash out in all directions across the night sky.
Sky & Telescope senior editor Kelly Beatty said: “Don’t fixate on looking toward Gemini. Geminids can appear anywhere in the sky, so the best direction to watch is wherever your sky is darkest, which is probably straight up.”
In order to get the best view of the meteor shower, you should head to a dark place without any light pollution but a clear view of the sky.
What time can you see the Geminid meteor shower tonight?
About three hours after sunset, you can start looking out for the meteors as early as 7pm local time.
Even though there are fewer meteors in the early evening, their dramatic streaks could last for a few seconds as they shoot through space.
Amateur astronomers should go out late in the evening and they can keep watching the meteors all night until dawn.
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