Geminids, King of the Meteor Showers
Geminids, King of the Meteor Showers
December 13 into the early morning of December 14.
Activity typically begins around 9pm- 10pm local time.
Peak: The absolute best rates usually occur around 2:00 AM local time, when the radiant point is highest in the sky.
Moonlight Forecast: Good news! This year, we have a Waning Crescent Moon (approx. 25-30% illuminated). The moon won’t rise until around 2:00 AM local time. This provides a solid window of dark, moonless skies from late evening until the early morning hours—perfect for spotting fainter meteors.
Global Visibility
Northern Hemisphere: Excellent visibility. The radiant (near the star Castor in Gemini) rides high in the sky.
Southern Hemisphere: Visible, but at lower rates. The radiant stays lower near the horizon, so you may see meteors shooting upwards from the horizon.
What to Expect (ZHR): Under ideal dark-sky conditions, the Geminids can produce 120 to 150 meteors per hour. In suburban locations with some light pollution, expect closer to 30–50 per hour—still a fantastic display.
Happy skygazing!
