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Geminid Meteor Shower to Peak Dec. 13–14 With Up to 150 Meteors an Hour

Questions about the shower’s origin persist, with a Phaethon mission slated for 2028.

Overview

  • Activity runs Dec. 7–17, with the peak expected Saturday night into Sunday and a maximum around 9 a.m. MEZ on Dec. 14, keeping viewing favorable through the night.
  • Experts forecast many bright meteors and possible fireballs, with a theoretical rate near 150 per hour but far fewer visible under city lights.
  • In Berlin, observers may see roughly 6–10 per hour, and moonlight is not expected to significantly hinder visibility if skies are clear.
  • The radiant lies in Gemini, meteors can be watched from early evening to pre-dawn, and Jupiter sits near the apparent origin point this year.
  • Local conditions will govern success; DWD outlooks for Bavaria note rain giving way to clearer nights with potential fog, and Berlin hosts public viewing events Dec. 12–13.