Peaking between December 4 and December 17, the Geminid meteor showers are one of the most unique to exist. They, along with the Quadrantids of early January, are the only meteor showers to not originate from a comet, but instead an asteroid (3200 Phaethon). Their name derives from the fact that they appear to radiate from the constellation Gemini.

The peak of the shower’s activity is between 17:00 universal time coordinated on December 13 and 1:00 UTC on December 14. According to NASA, to get the best view of the Geminids, find an area with low light, lie flat on your back facing south, and stare upwards into the sky. The eyes may take a while to adjust, but within thirty minutes they should be adjusted to the night and meteors should be visible. Geminid meteors are visible until dawn, so do not worry if you do not see everything immediately.

3200 Phaethon, the asteroid from which Geminid meteors originate from, was discovered on October 11, 1983 by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IAS). Scientists are not quite sure how to classify Phaethon; most believe it is a hybrid of an asteroid and a comet, called a “rock comet.” Its orbit around the sun is similar to that of a comet; but it does not have the signature cometary tail or the spectra that a comet would be expected to have.