The Geminid meteor shower which lights up the sky each December will be most visible from Monday to Tuesday.
The moon will make it difficult to see the Geminids in this year’s sky, but astronomers predict that the best viewing times will be from 2 a.m. to dawn, regardless of your time zone.
“Rich in green fireballs, I will brave the cold December nights for the Geminids,” Bill Cooke, NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office lead, stated in a statement.
The Geminids, which appear to be emanating from the constellation Gemini, are made from debris from a celestial object called 3200 Phaethon. Scientists believe that 3200 Phaethon could be either an extinct comet, or an asteroid.
NASA says Geminids can reach as low as 29 miles below the Earth’s surface because of their density before they start to burn up.
The Northern Hemisphere will be the most spectacular, but Geminids can also be seen from anywhere on Earth. The shower will be closer to Earth’s horizon, so night owls from the Southern Hemisphere might see fewer meteors.
NASA stated that Monday’s moon will be approximately 80% full. Its brightness will wash out the fainter Geminids, NASA says, until the moon sets at 2 a.m.
The Geminids will continue until December 17.
