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The shower, which has about 120 meteors per hour, can be seen all over the world.
Stargazers are getting ready to go out and see the best meteor shower of 2020 light up the sky.
The Geminid meteor shower, which is typically active every year between December 4-17, is expected to climax on Sunday and Monday nights with a dazzling display of multi-colored shooting stars.
At its peak, the shower features about 120 meteors per hour that travel at about 22 miles per second, according to NASA. The colors come from the elements that the meteor is made of.
The rate is expected to be even better this year, because the peak of the rain overlaps with a near-new moon, resulting in darker skies.
The Geminids, which began to appear in the 19th century, are considered one of the best and most reliable meteor showers every year, according to NASA. Every year the Earth passes through traces of comet particle debris left over from asteroid fragments, which then collide with Earth’s atmosphere and create colored streaks in the sky.
The event is best viewed at night and before sunrise, starting around 9 pm to 10 pm local time in the Northern Hemisphere, away from city or street lights. It is visible around the world, as long as there are no clouds obstructing the view, according to NASA.
Unfortunately for the United States, the Geminids are best seen in the southern hemisphere, where the summer season produces fewer clouds, according to the American Meteor Society.
You can watch a live broadcast of the Geminid meteor shower on the NASA Meteor Watch Facebook page.
