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The Geminids – among the few major meteor showers to come from asteroids – peak on Friday. It’s one of the year’s last chances to see fireballs in the sky.
The shower often produces meteors with a distinctly more yellow glow, likely due to the unusual origin material, said Sally Brummel, planetarium manager at the University of Minnesota’s Bell Museum.
Under ideal viewing conditions, the Geminids typically put on one of the best and brightest shows of the year because of the high volume of meteors visible each hour. However, an almost full moon this year means up to 15 meteors per hour are expected at peak time, according to the American Meteor Society.
The moonlight « will wash out a lot of them », Brummel said.
Viewing lasts until Dec. 21. Here’s what to know about the Geminids and other meteor showers.
