The Geminids
Next peak: . The Moon will be 25% lit (waxing crescent), a good year for this shower.
- Active
- 12/04 to 12/20 (month/day)
- Peak rate (ZHR)
- 150 per hour
- Radiant
- RA 112°, Dec +33°
- Speed
- 35 km/s (medium)
- Peak solar longitude
- 262.2°
- Parent body
- asteroid 3200 Phaethon
About the Geminids
Today the richest annual shower, and one of very few that come from a rocky body rather than a comet. Geminids are medium-speed, often bright and sometimes coloured. Because the radiant near Castor is up from mid-evening, this is one of the few major showers worth watching before midnight.
When and where to look. From about 22:00 local time onwards in the northern hemisphere; well seen from the southern hemisphere too, though with lower rates.
Best viewing on the peak night
| City | Night of | Best time (local) | Radiant height | Rough rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | Mon 14 Dec | 71° | up to ~142/h | |
| New York | Sun 13 Dec | 82° | up to ~149/h | |
| Los Angeles | Sun 13 Dec | 87° | up to ~150/h | |
| Singapore | Mon 14 Dec | 58° | up to ~128/h | |
| Sydney | Mon 14 Dec | 23° | up to ~59/h | |
| Cape Town | Mon 14 Dec | 23° | up to ~59/h |
Rough rate = ZHR × sine of the radiant altitude, at the darkest hour with the radiant highest. Light pollution and moonlight reduce it further.
Peak dates by year
| Year | Peak (UTC) | Moon |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 27% | |
| 2026 | 25% | |
| 2027 | 98% | |
| 2028 | 5% |
Computed as the moment the Sun reaches ecliptic longitude 262.2° (equinox J2000), the peak position in the IMO working list.
