Geminid Meteor Shower Is The Best One This Year, Expect 150 Meteors Per Hour

Stargazers ought to start marking their calendars because the Geminid meteor shower will be putting on quite a show this weekend.

Known for its reliability as well as the breathtaking view, the Geminid meteor show is active from Dec. 4 to 17 and will peak overnight on Sunday into the morning of the following day.

Though it is an annual event, what makes the Geminids even more special this year is the number of meteors that observers will be able to see after dark. About 150 meteors per hour are expected on Sunday, according to the American Meteor Society (AMS). This would average to two to three meteors per minute.

The meteor shower usually peaks at over 100 meteors per hour at its most active each year. According to NASA, this is related to the Geminids becoming visible a day before a new moon.

"The Geminids produce a good number of meteors most years, but they're made even better this year as the shower's peak coincides with a nearly new moon, thus making for darker skies, with no moonlight to interfere with the fainter meteors," NASA explained on its website.

Usually active earlier in the evening unlike other meteor showers, stargazers can expect to start seeing shooting stars at around 9 p.m. EST, with a continued rise in frequency until 2 a.m. EST for those in the Northern Hemisphere. The Geminids will peak after midnight for observers in the Southern Hemisphere.

Light pollution should also be considered by those living in the city, as this would prevent skywatchers from seeing all the meteors. Stargazers can opt to watch the cosmic phenomenon in a dark area such as a nearby park with an open view of the sky.

"For the best viewing, find a safe location away from bright city lights, lie flat on the ground with your feet pointing south and look up," NASA advised. "Meteors can appear in any part of the sky, though they'll appear to radiate from near the constellation Gemini."

Aside from the high frequency of meteors, the 2020 Geminid meteor shower will also feature shooting stars of different colors, said the AMS. As these meteors burn up in the atmosphere, their elements glow in vibrant colors, each depending on the element which comprises the meteor.

The Geminids are named after Gemini, as they appear to originate from the constellation.