The annual Geminid meteor shower will reach its peak this weekend, giving stargazers the chance to see one of the best and most reliable meteor shows of the year.
The meteor shower has been active for more than a week, but is expected to peak activity Saturday and Sunday night, according to NASA.
Meteors are visible in both the northern and southern hemispheres, but the Geminids tend to be brighter and more frequent north of the equator due to the direction they flow in the night sky.
According to NASA, under ideal conditions – clear weather and minimal light pollution – skywatchers can see up to 120 Geminid meteors per hour.
The Geminid meteor shower is known to produce bright, colorful fireballs that streak across the night sky.
For the best viewing, head outside between midnight and early morning local time. Look to the eastern sky, in the direction of the constellation Gemini.
The moon won’t interfere with this year’s Geminid meteor shower because it will rise with only about 26 percent brightness.
Meteor showers occur when Earth’s orbit passes through a cloud of small rocks, dust and other debris that burns up when it hits the Earth’s atmosphere. Most meteor showers are caused by the remnants of comets, but the Geminids come from the remnants of an asteroid called 3200 Phaethon.
The Geminid meteor shower’s striking colors – ranging from yellow to red and even green – are attributed to the chemical composition of the asteroid fragments.
This article originally appeared on NBCNews.com
