Overview
- NASA and the American Meteor Society project up to about 100–120 meteors per hour under ideal dark-sky conditions, though local counts will be lower with light pollution or clouds.
- The best viewing is after midnight into pre-dawn when Gemini is highest, with the moon not rising until around 2 a.m.; after moonrise, face west to keep lunar glare at your back.
- Activity is already underway and will continue at reduced rates through about Dec. 20, with the shower favoring the Northern Hemisphere but still visible across much of the Southern Hemisphere.
- Geminid meteors appear to radiate from Gemini near the star Castor yet can streak anywhere in the sky, often bright and colorful with occasional fireballs.
- Observers should seek dark, open locations, avoid phone screens, and allow 15–30 minutes for night vision; no telescopes or binoculars are needed to watch the display.