TheGeminid meteor showeris underway and the peak is set to occur this weekend.
The shower is known for its vivid colors and high intensity. It can fall slowly and even produce fireballs. Many shooting stars show up as yellowish streaks.
The International Meteor Organization ranks the Geminids as the "best and most reliable of the major annual showers presently observable" on itsMeteor Shower Calendar.
The meteors stem from the asteroid 3200 Phaethon, which takes 1.4 years to orbit the earth – according toNASA. It is potentially a "dead comet" as it does not develop a cometary tail when it passes by the sun and the bits and pieces that break off to form Geminid meteors are several times denser than cometary dust flakes.
The space agency says that the Geminid shower is considered one of the best opportunities for young viewers, since the shower starts around 9 or 10 p.m. nightly.
Here's what to know about the Geminid meteor shower.
When is the Geminid meteor shower?
The Geminid meteor shower will hit its peak the night of Saturday, Dec. 13, and continue into the morning hours of Sunday, Dec. 14. The shower began on Dec. 4 and will end on Dec. 17,according to the IMO.
Florida Atlantic University's Division of Research celebrates creativity with its annual "Art of Science" contest where research becomes stunning works of visual expression. Take a look at the mesmerizing images, starting with the competition's first place winner ... FIRST PLACE: SELFIE ... CEPHIE. Octopuses have eight flexible appendages that can bend, shorten, elongate and twist in all directions due to their extensive nervous system and the complex arrangement of their arm musculature, which lack bones. Scientific SCUBA divers held their cameras close as the octopus tried to take a "cephie," or octopus selfie." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
SECOND PLACE: SEA TURTLE BEGINNING. Through a method called candling, a flashlight is held up against an egg in the dark to visualize embryonic development. The flipper outline of a developing loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) embryo is visible within its egg, along with the intricate network of extraembryonic blood vessels that sustain growth." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
THIRD PLACE: JOURNEY TO SPACE. This image sequence was captured at about 98,000 feet during the Aerospace Experimental Association's Mission 3, a high-altitude balloon launch conducted in fall 2024 at Florida Atlantic University. It shows the precise instant when the balloon ruptured at the edge of space, marking the transition from ascent to descent. The photograph was taken by a GoPro mounted at the top of the payload, facing upward." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
FACULTY IN THE FIELD: ROSETTE NEBULA. This shot is comprised of 1260 pictures totaling 10.5 hours of total imaging time. The Rosette Nebula is located approximately 5,200 light-years from Earth. It is a large cloud of ionized hydrogen gas. The vibrant red colors seen in images of the Rosette Nebula are primarily due to the emission of light from these hydrogen atoms. The nebula is estimated to have a diameter of about 130 light-years." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
FACULTY IN THE LAB: RADIANT ARCHITECTS. This confocal microscopy image captures radial glial cells in the zebrafish central nervous system, highlighting their unique morphology and critical role in neural development." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
STUDENT IN THE LAB: SKELETAL SECRETS. Coral reefs are crucial players for their marine ecosystems by protecting coastal areas, promoting biodiversity and providing a plethora of ecological benefits for cohabitating wildlife. This is a scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of P. astreoides at 120x magnification depicting the morphology and microstructures of its skeleton." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
STUDENT IN THE FIELD: TWO TO TANGO. Ever tried an activity like kayaking with a partner, only to discover that coordinating paddling is harder than it looks, and end up stuck in some mangroves?" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
TOP POSTDOC: SURVIVAL. Here, the C. elegans nematodes were left searching for more food, and instead of hiding their need, they etched their hunger into the agar, leaving behind an abstract pattern. What looks like art is actually survival - a biological request written in unexpected lines." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
TOP STAFF: ORCHARD ARCHITECTURE. This montage presents fruit in an entirely unique way - through the lens of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). By capturing cross-sections with exquisite clarity and without invasive techniques, MRI reveals the hidden architecture of seeds, rinds and pulps in remarkable detail. What appears at first like abstract art is, in fact, the internal world of familiar produce, transformed into patterns of symmetry, texture and contrast." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
RESEARCH EXCELLENCE: FACE OF DIGESTION. The picture shows a double-labeled of the fruit fly gut. Animals were genetically modified to add a fluorescent-tag (blue color) to an endogenous protein, which has been linked to metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity. This allows for visualization and study expression differences of the protein in response to different diets, such as high sugar, high protein or no food. The specimen was also immunohistochemically labeled with antibodies against a structural gut protein (magenta color) to visualize the gut structure. Confocal microscopy was used to acquire images of each fluorescent label." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
RESEARCH EXCELLENCE: HATCHET. A type of lime treefrog, the picture shows the distinctive "hatchet" face of Sphaenorhynchus lacteus. The picture was captured near the bank of the only known boiling river in the world, called Mayantuyacu, in a remote area of the central Peruvian Amazon." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
RESEARCH EXCELLENCE: TRES LECHES. These are newly hatched Florida pompano (Trachinotus carolinus) larvae reared at the Florida Atlantic University Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute. At just 0 days post-hatch, they have only recently emerged from their eggs and represent the earliest stage of development for this coastal species." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
RESEARCH EXCELLENCE: ORIGIN STORY. This image captures a developing zebrafish embryo, a powerful model for exploring how the nervous system takes shape. The image has been falsely colored for artistic effect, highlighting the intricate beauty of developing structures that guide our understanding of both healthy and disordered development." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
RESEARCH EXCELLENCE: CONCH SUNSET. The FAU Queen Conch Lab has a partnership project with Blue Action Lab on Grand Bahama Island. The Mobile Labs are used to raise queen conch larvae to juvenile stage for conservation, restoration and education. The queen conch is important for the culture, nutrition, livelihood and coastal seas of countless communities in The Bahamas." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
RESEARCH EXCELLENCE: WHERE BONE MEETS GOLD. False-colored SEM image of 3D-printed beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) for bone regeneration. Bone has an incredible, but limited, ability to repair itself. Traditionally, the gold standard treatment is bone transplantation from another healthy site in the same patient. However, this involves a second surgery, increasing the risk of complications and treatment costs. This image shows a synthetic alternative: 3D-printed β-TCP, a ceramic material with a calcium-phosphate composition similar to natural bone. The structure has a multi-scale interconnected porous architecture (350—1500µm) and fine supporting struts (230—550µm). The manufacturing of such complex geometry is only achievable through 3D printing, resulting in an implant that is both beautiful and functional. Over time, the β-TCP biodegrades and is naturally replaced by the patient's own bone." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
RESEARCH EXCELLENCE: MAN-IN-THE-GROUND VINE. Man-in-the-ground vine (Ipomoea microdactyla) is state-listed as endangered. The photographer is researching flora and fauna native to Florida, with an emphasis on at-risk and endangered species. The subjects of the portraits are photographed within their natural habitats or at local conservation organizations. They range from a rare deep red morning glory found primarily in the pine rocklands of Miami-Dade County (man in the ground/Ipomoea microdactyla) to the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), which faces multiple threats, including habitat loss, light pollution and incidental capture by fisheries. The project merges artistic observation with ecological inquiry to reflect Florida's biodiversity." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
RESEARCH EXCELLENCE: CRACKS THAT MEND. This image of a fallen tree reveals the story of time, struggle and survival. Each ring marks a year of growth, while the cracks running through the wood tell of storms weathered and pressures endured. Despite the breaks, the tree remains whole and offers shelter to new plants and moss along its edges. In many ways, this mirrors the human journey through mental health. Life leaves its marks, some visible and some hidden, but resilience is found in how we continue to grow around the fractures. Healing does not erase the cracks; it transforms them into part of our strength and story." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
RESEARCH EXCELLENCE: METALLIC BLOOM. This image was captured using specialized imaging called High-Angle Annular Dark Field with a specific type of microscope called scanning transmission electron microscopy. It uses electrons instead of light to reveal structures far smaller than what regular microscopes can detect. The bright cluster shows nickel particles formed by heating chemicals to 170°C in a polyol liquid called ethylene glycol. The polyol acts like a chemical cooking medium, helping control how the nickel particles form and grow. Though the particles didn't grow on the salt crystal, the surface beneath them looks like one, creating the illusion of a metallic bloom. Each particle is merely a billionth of a meter wide, several times smaller than a grain of sand, yet together they form a branching pattern shaped by heat and chemistry." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
RESEARCH EXCELLENCE: SONIC PORTRAIT. This artwork traces the acquisition of the Danish vowel /y/, as in hygge. Through repeated attempts, the speaker's pronunciation shifts — each spectrogram capturing a moment of articulation in transition. These four images are voiceprints: acoustic and visual records of a phoneme being learned. Subtle changes in formant structure reflect the fine motor adjustments of speech. The data were generated and analyzed using Praat, an open-source tool for phonetic research. Together, the images form a sonic portrait of a vowel, a study in adaptation, where speech and language takes shape through repetition and time." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Winners of FAU's Art of Science competition take you under the sea and into outer space
Florida Atlantic University's Division of Research celebrates creativity with its annual "Art of Science" contest where research becomes stunning works of visual expression. Take a look at the mesmerizing images, starting with the competition's first place winner ...FIRST PLACE: SELFIE ... CEPHIE.Octopuses have eight flexible appendages that can bend, shorten, elongate and twist in all directions due to their extensive nervous system and the complex arrangement of their arm musculature, which lack bones. Scientific SCUBA divers held their cameras close as the octopus tried to take a "cephie," or octopus selfie.
What does the meteor shower look like?Check out last year's visual guide on when and where to get the best view
Will you be able to see the Geminid meteor shower?
The Geminid meteor shower will be visible in the night sky, with "Earthgrazers" potentially visible early in the evening of Dec. 13,according to Space.com. The site states that areas without light pollution may witness between 120 to 150 meteors per hour while brighter locales may see around 60 per hour.
Meteor showers get their names from the radiant's location, the point in the sky where the meteors appear. The radiant location is typically a star or constellation. The Geminid radiant is in the Gemini constellation.
Contributing: Janet Loehrke, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Geminid meteor shower set to peak this weekend