The Geminid meteor shower peaks this week: From which parts of the world will it be best seen?

Stargazers and astronomy enthusiasts are gearing up for what is anticipated to be the most captivating meteor shower of the year – the Geminid meteor shower. Scheduled to peak late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning on December 13-14, this annual celestial event is expected to outshine its predecessors, including the recent Leonid meteor shower.

Unlike the modest showing of the Leonids, the Geminid meteor shower is renowned for its impressive display of slow, bright, graceful meteors, and fireballs, often surpassing even the famous Perseids of August. Traveling at a speed of 22 miles (35 km) per second, these meteors present a mesmerizing yellowish hue, with some exhibiting jagged or divided paths.

Named after the constellation Gemini, the Twins, the Geminids will radiate from a point near the bright star Castor in Gemini during their peak. The Earth's swift movement through this meteor stream creates a broad, lopsided activity profile. Rates steadily increase two or three days before reaching the peak, maintaining heightened levels for several hours before declining sharply.

Excellent conditions in 2023

This year, conditions are particularly favorable for meteor enthusiasts. In 2023, the Geminids are expected to perform exceptionally well, contrasting with the compromised display of the previous year, which was affected by bright moonlight. However, this time, the moon will be at a new phase on December 12 and will appear as a thin crescent on the peak night, setting around 5 p.m. This guarantees a dark and moonless sky, providing optimal viewing conditions for the Geminid meteor shower.

According to astronomers Margaret Campbell-Brown and Peter Brown from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, the Geminids are predicted to reach their peak activity at 2 p.m. EDT (1900 GMT). Eastern Europe, northeast Africa, central Russia, and Chinese longitudes are in the prime position to witness the shower's crest, potentially exceeding 120 meteors per hour. However, even locations like North America can expect an impressive Geminid display as rates remain high for 6 to 10 hours around the peak.

Under ideal dark-sky conditions, viewers can anticipate at least 60 or more Geminid meteors per hour on the night of maximum activity. Early sightings may begin as Gemini rises above the east-northeast horizon after dusk, with a chance of witnessing "Earth-grazing" meteors – long, bright shooting stars that streak overhead parallel to the horizon.

As the night progresses, Geminids will become more numerous after 10 p.m. local time, with the best views anticipated around 2 a.m. when the radiant point is nearly overhead. The higher the radiant point, the more meteors will streak across the entire night sky, promising a celestial spectacle not to be missed.