Here's when to see the Geminid meteor shower over Arizona this week

Brace yourself, Earthlings: Our planet is currently being bombarded by thousands of flaming rocks from outer space. You needn’t panic, though, since it's merely the Geminid meteor shower, which will paint the night skies with dazzling (and harmless) shooting stars every evening through late December.

It's the biggest meteor shower of the year and a perfect excuse to enjoy some skywatching.

The Geminid meteor shower, so named because it appears to emanate from the constellation Gemini, occurs every December as Earth traverses a field of debris from an asteroid. And it results in more shooting stars than other meteor showers.

Brian Skiff, an astronomer with Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, told Phoenix New Times in 2021 that the Geminids are also considered to be the best and “most reliable” meteor showers of the year because of the sheer volume and high visibility of its shooting stars.

“That’s the one thing I can tell you about the Geminids,” Skiff said in 2021. “From experience, the [meteors] leave a longer train behind them, so it’s not just a quick streak of light. There’s a trail behind each meteor that lasts for a second or two.”

At its peak, which occurs on just before midnight on Dec. 13 into the early morning hours of Dec. 14, upward of 120 meteors per hour will streak across the night sky.

This year, the Geminid meteor shower will be even more visible because of a lack of moonlight interfering with the viewing experience.

If you’d like to check out all the astronomical action of this year’s Geminids, here’s everything you’ll need to know about when and where the get the best opportunities to see some shooting stars.

When does the Geminid meteor shower take place?

In 2023, the Geminids will occur nightly through late December. They’ll peak just before midnight on Wednesday, Dec. 13, into the early morning hours of Thursday, Dec. 14, with as many as 120 meteors per hour visible in the sky.

What causes the Geminid meteor shower?

Like all meteor showers, the Geminids are caused by our planet’s orbit traveling through the debris trails from comets, asteroids, and other stellar objects. In this case, it's rocks and minerals from 3200 Phaethon, a near-Earth asteroid orbiting the sun. In mid-December, our planet crosses its orbital path, plowing through its remnants like a car driving through a cloud of bugs.

When is the best time to view the Geminid meteor shower?

The constellation Gemini, which is the radiant (or starting point) for the meteor shower, rises in the northwestern sky at 9 p.m. As we mentioned, the peak of this year’s Gemini showers happens on Wednesday just before midnight. If you can stay up, your best bet is between midnight and 2 a.m. on Thursday.

Where do I look to see the Geminid meteor shower?

Meteors will be visible across the sky, though most will appear to emanate near Gemini. From 11 p.m. until 2 a.m., they’ll be more toward the horizon, including some possible slower-moving and longer-lasting “Earth-grazer” meteors that bounce off the atmosphere. As Gemini rises, so will the meteors, which will be higher in the sky as the night progresses. You don’t have to stare directly at the constellation to see meteors, however, but you should generally look toward the west-northwest.

What will viewing conditions be like?

The current forecast for Wednesday night and early Thursday morning calls for clear skies. As we mentioned, there won't be any moonlight because the moon is in its newest phase.

Where are the best locations for viewing?

Anywhere with wide-open skies that are as dark as possible and offer little in the way of light pollution. That means driving away from the city lights to the outskirts of the Valley and places like Buckeye, Anthem, Queen Creek or Carefree. If you’re considering driving out to the boonies to get a better view, please be sure to have a fully charged cellphone and enough gas to get there and back.

Do you need a telescope or binoculars to see the Geminid meteor shower?

No. Meteors will be visible to the naked eye.