First Warning Forecast: The Geminid meteor shower peaks tonight!
The Geminids are one of the strongest meteor showers of the year. Over 120 meteors per hour can be seen under perfect conditions.
While most meteor showers originate from comets (ice, dust and gaseous material), the Geminids originate from an asteroid (metallic, rocky material) known as 3200 Phaethon. Meteor showers usually appear to be colorless or white but the Geminids are usually yellow in appearance.
Grab a blanket if you plan on heading out to watch the annual event tonight. Temperatures will be in the low 40s. Peak viewing begins around 9 p.m. but skies will be partly cloudy. Optimal viewing will be during the predawn hours when we'll see some clearing. The light from the nearly full moon may also hinder the view a bit.
You'll want to be in an area with limited light pollution. Look east in the sky near the Gemini constellation. About 15 meteors per hour will be able to be seen.
