120 ‘shooting stars’ in 1 hour: When and where to watch one of the year's best meteor showers — Geminids

Skygazers can tighten up their seat belts as one of the year's best meteor showers are taking place and are set to peak soon. Considered as one of the most spectacular meteor storms, the Geminids meteor shower gets its name from Gemini constellation. The meteor outbursts seem to emerge from this constellation in the sky.

Made up of debris trailing the asteroid 3200 Phaethon, the Geminids meteor shower, which came into action on 4 December, will remain active till 20 December.

When and where to watch Geminids meteor shower?

According to the American Meteor Society, the Geminids will peak this weekend and will the most visible around mid-December. At its peak, it is possible to see around 120 meteors per hour but all of it depends on the specific time zone.

“The meteors will appear near the bright planet Jupiter,” US space agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said.

Although the yellow meteors can be seen across the globe, but for the best viewing experience astronomical enthusiasts must turn to the Northern Hemisphere. As per Time and Date, the best viewing time in Delhi is on 14 and 15 December at 2:30 AM on both days. Meanwhile, cosmic enthusiasts in the United States can expect Geminid meteor shower peak between 13 and 14 December.

"The higher the radiant is above the horizon, the more meteors you are likely to see. Meteor showers appear to originate from the radiant, but meteors can appear in any part of the sky, Time and Date said.

• When and where to watch Geminids meteor shower in other cities:
• London - Peak date: 14 December at 8 AM
• Beijing - Peak date: 15 December at 7 AM
• New York - Peak date: 14 December at 7 AM
• Canberra - Peak date: 15 December at 5 AM
• Rome - Peak date: 14 December at 8 AM
• Dubai - Peak date: 14 December at 4 AM

How is Geminids meteor shower different from others?

Geminids meteor shower is different from others as it is associated with 3200 Phaethon asteroid and not with leftovers of comets. The parent body of the Geminids meteor shower, 3200 Phaethon asteroid is an active Apollo asteroid with an orbit closest to the Sun than any other named asteroid.

What happens during a meteor shower?

Meteor showers, which are commonly referred to as “shooting stars,” appear as a streak of light in the sky when fast-moving space rocks burn as they strike Earth's atmosphere, leaving behind fiery tails. Notably, stray shooting stars are visible from Earth on any given night, but prominent showers happen occasionally when the planet passes through crowded streams of meteor debris.

Several factors determine the visibility of the meteor shower including:

• The amount of debris
• Brightness of the moon
• Weather conditions
• Pollution level

For the best viewing experience, look for a dark secluded place away from the hustles and bright lights of the city. “The other stars are going to be all stationary, so you’ll see this moving across the sky and it’ll leave a little tail behind it," AP quoted George Washington University astronomer Bethany Cobb Kung as saying.