Sky watchers should ready themselves to see 100 or more meteors per hour

Dec 13, 2012 15:10 GMT  ·  By

Thanks to the moon's entering a new phase and ceasing to brighten the night sky, this December 13 is bound to entertain sky watchers with stunning images of the annual Geminid meteor shower.

Specialists explain that this meteor shower owes its name to the fact that the meteors appear to have the constellation Gemini as their point of origin.

This particular meteor shower is the direct result of the Earth's passing through the path of an asteroid referred to as 3200 Phateon, Space reports.

Although the Geminid meteor shower is set to peak tonight, between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., sources explain that the show is to go on until December 16.

Therefore, those who happen to miss it today for one reason or another can rest assured that they can still catch a glimpse of some meteors in the following days.

Experts believe that, during its peak, the Geminids will showcase roughly 100 meteors per hour. No need for specialized equipment to watch the show: a blanket and a hot beverage will more than suffice.