Overview
- The annual shower is expected to top out the night of December 13–14, with typical peak rates near 120 meteors per hour and up to about 150 per hour under ideal conditions.
- Forecasts place maximum activity around 04:25 UTC on December 14 (about 11:25 p.m. on December 13 in Florida), with elevated rates from late evening through pre‑dawn.
- A waning crescent Moon around 30% illumination will rise after 2 a.m. in the U.S., so looking toward the west or finding the darkest possible sky will reduce glare.
- No telescope is required; lie back at a dark location, allow up to 30 minutes for night vision, and scan the whole sky rather than focusing only on Gemini.
- Unlike most showers, the Geminids originate from asteroid 3200 Phaethon, whose debris enters at roughly 35 km/s and often produces bright, colorful fireballs, with activity far stronger now than in the 19th century.