Geminids Meteor Shower Peaks This Weekend Despite Moon Interference

A Challenging Year for Stargazers

The Geminids meteor shower, widely regarded as one of the most spectacular celestial events of the year, reached its peak this weekend under less-than-ideal conditions. During peak activity and with clear skies, up to 120 meteors per hour are visible. According to NASA, under good conditions, you may even see a meteor every minute. However, the moon's brightness is predicted to cut visibility by 50% to 75%, Bill Cooke, lead of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., tells NPR. If you're in the U.S., you can expect to see about 15 Geminids per hour, compared to the usual 120.

According to NASA, under good conditions, you may even see a meteor every minute. However, conditions are a little less favorable this year for star seekers as the Geminids will peak under a nearly full moon — reducing visibility of the usually bright and colorful meteors. Since most Geminid meteors are faint, as well as most meteors in general, the intense moonlight will obscure at least 75 percent of the activity normally seen in years without interfering moonlight.

Despite the challenges, seeing 15 meteors per hour is stronger than most nights of the year, so if your sky is clear the effort to see these meteors is worth it. "In short, 2024 is a bad year for Geminid watching – December 2025 will be much better," Cooke said.

Prime Viewing Conditions in Colorado

For Colorado observers, the timing works particularly well for families. If you have kids with earlier bedtimes who like stargazing, you're in luck, as Saturday's peak activity will come earlier in the night than some other astronomical events: The shower should start around 8 p.m. Keller recommends people in Colorado try and catch the show Saturday night into Sunday morning, with ideal viewing conditions between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. Keller adding that the waning crescent moon will rise around 2 a.m.

The short answer is to get as far away from cities and the Denver metro area and street lights as you can. Light pollution will make the meteors harder to see, while darkness will be your friend. One of the best places for most people in the Denver metro area would be out on the Eastern Plains due to proximity and the lack of trees obstructing views in many places. Once you get to the area you want to view them from, lie down, with your toes pointed at the sky, with your feet facing south and your head facing north.

You should plan to get out a bit earlier, however, as your eyes will need about 30 minutes to fully adjust to the dark. If you have a clear sky, you will also be able to see bright meteors "by facing a direction with the moon at your back," according to the American Meteor Society.

The Science Behind the Show

What makes the Geminids unique among meteor showers is their origin. Unlike other meteors, which originate from comets, the Geminids are thought to come from an asteroid — 3200 Phaethon — which is nearly 3 miles across and orbits the sun every 1.4 years. "This meteor shower comes from a really interesting rock asteroid called Phaethon, and Phaethon is a very unique Apollo asteroid that crosses Earth's orbit and also goes very, very close to the sun. And the debris that that asteroid has put into space creates really colorful meteors... and those are from the different gasses, from magnesium and sodium and iron."

Most meteors tend to appear colorless or white, but the Geminids often show a greenish hue, according to NASA. It's considered "one of the best and most reliable annual meteor showers," according to the space agency. In the night sky, the meteors appear to emanate from the constellation Gemini, where the Geminids get their name.

Looking Forward

While this year's display may be diminished, astronomy enthusiasts have reason for optimism. If you don't see as many Geminids as you'd hoped — or any at all — you'll have a better chance to see them in December 2025, according to NASA. The full moon that month will occur on Dec. 4, 2025, earlier than when the Geminids are expected to peak mid-December and when the moon will be waning and not as bright.

The shower continues to be active through December 24, though at diminishing rates. And the rate of the Geminids will drop to "practically zero" by Monday night, Cooke says. For those who missed the peak, stargazers should be on the lookout all week long as some