On the night of December 14, 2025, the Geminid meteor shower, the most powerful meteor shower of the year, will peak. According to forecasts from the Moscow Planetarium, up to 120 "falling stars" per hour can be seen on this night. The radiant of the shower will be located in the constellation Gemini.
The Geminids are formed from debris from object 3200 Phaethon, discovered in 1983. This object is intermediate between an asteroid and a comet. The meteor shower is known for its high intensity, which in December exceeds other annual meteor showers, including the popular August Perseids.
Another notable shower, the Ursids, will reach peak activity on the night of December 22. Its radiant is located in the constellation Ursa Minor, and its intensity is significantly more modest, at about 10 meteors per hour. The Ursids are only visible in the Northern Hemisphere, while the Geminids are observed in both hemispheres of the Earth.
Planetarium specialists note that December is a month of long nights, but the weather is often cloudy, so a successful observation session requires a clear sky. For maximum effect, it is recommended to choose places away from city lights, where the night sky is fully open.
