
It’s actually going on right now—though it will continue until Thursday. The best time to see the shooting stars is between 1 and 3 AM your local time, so bundle up (especially if you’re in my snowy area, or an even colder one!) and go take a peek! The Geminids are the only meteor shower that is not caused by a passing comet, and they are considered slow-moving. You can find out all about them here.
Though the shower is peaked, you still have tonight to watch them—and up to 100 meteors may be seen per hour. The yellowish meteors will travel at about 22 miles per second, so even young children may be able to watch them shoot across the sky. Here are some tips for getting the best out of your Geminid meteor shower, the most intense shower of the year:
- Dress warmly! No amount of wonder from the amazing event will help cure frostbite. If you take little ones out to see the shower (it could be a perfect time to take them out at night, since many are having snow days), be sure to bundle them extra snugly—scarves, mittens, hats, extra shirts and pants, the whole works.
- Ponder food for thought about meteor showers, especially with kiddos. One pivotal question is always where does the asteroid come from? Though it’s not necessary to get philosophical while enjoying the spectacular show, it’s always interesting to explore such ideas—and to let children and teens explore their own creativity and scientific theories.
- Watch the shower while it is darkest. Right before dawn is largely considered the best time for viewing. This may work out best for families, since it means just waking kiddos up a bit early rather than keeping them up all night waiting to see the display.
- Anytime after midnight is, of course, fine for viewing, so if you just want to stay up a little late and view the meteor showers a little after the clock strikes twelve, that should work, too.
- Avoid the city landscape if you can and go out to the suburbs, or better yet, the countryside. If you can’t see stars to begin with, you may not be able to view the showers.
- Find a viewing spot with a horizon you can watch the Geminids over. This will help you see the shower better.
