December 4 – December 20 · Gemini
Geminids
The best shower of the year
See the Geminids from your location
See the exact local peak time and how high the radiant climbs from where you are.
What is the Geminids meteor shower?
The richest shower of the year: up to 150 slow, bright, often colourful meteors an hour on a cold December night. Unusually, its parent is an asteroid — 3200 Phaethon — not a comet.
When do the Geminids peak in 2026?
The Geminids peak on the night of December 14, 2026. Under ideal dark skies with the radiant high overhead they can produce up to 150 meteors an hour — the number you'll actually see depends on your latitude, the moon, and how dark your sky is.
Geminids at a glance
Where the Geminids come from
The Geminids are debris shed by 3200 Phaethon, a asteroid. Each year the Earth ploughs through this ancient trail of dust and the specks burn up in our atmosphere as meteors.
How to watch the Geminids
Get away from city lights
Light pollution is the enemy. A dark rural sky can turn a handful of meteors into dozens.
Look up after midnight
Most showers are best between midnight and dawn, when your side of Earth turns to face the debris stream head-on.
Let your eyes adapt
Give your eyes 20 minutes in the dark and put the phone away. Then just watch — meteors can streak across any part of the sky.
Common questions about the Geminids
When do the Geminids peak in 2026?+
The Geminids reach their maximum on the night of December 14, 2026, though a few meteors are visible from December 4 – December 20.
Where should I look to see the Geminids?+
The meteors radiate from the constellation Gemini, but they streak across the whole sky — you don't need to find the radiant. Just face the darkest part of your sky and take in as much of it as you can.
Do I need a telescope to watch the Geminids?+
No. Meteor showers are a naked-eye event — a telescope's narrow view would only work against you. All you need is a dark sky, a reclining chair, and some patience.
What causes the Geminids?+
The Geminids happen when Earth passes through a stream of debris left behind by 3200 Phaethon. The dust grains hit our atmosphere at 35 km/s and burn up as bright streaks of light.
Other meteor showers
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