Best show of the year: Geminid meteor shower begins this week
Here's what you need to know about the weird space object, 3200 Phaethon, associated with the Geminid meteor shower and the peak this year.
Meteor showers explained: what to know and how to watch
We call them shooting stars, but it's actually meteors that create dazzling streaks of light across our night sky.
The Geminid meteor shower begins Tuesday as one of the year's best meteor showers.
The Geminids start in mid-November and run through Christmas Eve. Peak activity happens Dec. 13 and 14, when 120 meteors per hour are possible under the right conditions.
Geminids are known for their speed and yellow color. NASA said the Geminid meteor shower is "considered to be one of the best and most reliable annual meteor showers."
The Geminids meteor shower is seen at the top of Niubei Mountain in Ya 'an, Sichuan Province, China, Dec 14, 2023. (Photo credit should read CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
Where do the Geminids come from?
According to NASA, the Geminids are one of the few meteor showers associated with an asteroid rather than a comet. However, 3200 Phaethon is an odd object that astronomers are still trying to define. It's possibly a "dead comet," or a new type of object known as a "rock comet."
Scientists hope to solve the mystery of 3200 Phaethon when the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launches the DESTINY+ mission. The small spacecraft will fly by 3200 Phaethon to investigate this source of dust that created the Geminids. JAXA said it is targeting 2028 to launch the mission.
How to see the Geminid meteor shower
A clear sky without haze and light pollution will result in optimal viewing conditions for stargazers.
A meteor burns up in the sky over al-Abrak desert north of Kuwait City during the annual Geminids meteor shower early on December 15, 2023. (Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP) (Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT/AFP via Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
To spot meteors, it’s best to have a dark sky away from city lights. When in doubt about where to go, an International Dark Sky Sanctuary location is best if you have one nearby.
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When you step outside, give your eyes time to adjust to the dark. It may take up to 40 minutes.
Closer to Dec. 13, the FOX Forecast Center will have a sky-gazing forecast to help you decide where to view the Geminids at peak activity.