Meteor Showers
Geminids
Next peak: December 14, 2026 · 150/hr
PeakDecember 14, 2026
ActiveDecember 4 – December 20
Rate (ZHR)150/hr
Speed35 km/s
RadiantGemini
Parent bodyasteroid 3200 Phaethon
Moon at peak31% · Waxing Crescent
The Moon will be Waxing Crescent (31% lit) near the peak — good, dark conditions.
About the Geminids
The richest shower of the year — up to 150 an hour — with slow, bright, often colourful meteors.
How to watch a meteor shower
Get away from city lights, let your eyes adapt for 20 minutes, and lie back so you can take in as much sky as possible. You don't need a telescope — meteors appear all over the sky. The best hours are usually after midnight, when your side of the Earth turns into the debris stream.
The single biggest factor after darkness is the Moon: a bright moon near the peak drowns out all but the brightest meteors. Check the moon phase for the peak night and, if it's bright, watch before moonrise or after moonset.