Meteor shower with bright ‘fireballs’ to peak over Washington soon. Here’s when
Washington stargazers can soon spot a major meteor shower complete with colorful “fireballs.”
The Geminid meteor shower will blaze across the night sky, resulting in hundreds of shooting stars dashing overhead.
“With the darkest possible skies, you could see up to 120 Geminid meteors per hour,” Chelsea Gohd from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory said in a blog post.
Here’s how to view the dazzling display:
When does Geminid meteor shower peak in 2025?
In 2025, the Geminids will peak on the nights of Saturday, Dec. 13, and Sunday, Dec. 14, according to NASA.
It’s one of the most prolific and reliable meteor showers of the year, producing between 60 and 120 meteors per hour under pristine dark sky conditions, National Geographic said.
The sparkling shower begins around 9 or 10 p.m. and lasts until dawn, NASA said.
Where do Geminids come from?
The fast and bright meteors are composed of trailing debris from the asteroid 3200 Phaethon and tend to be yellow in color, according to NASA.
The Geminids first started showing up in the mid-1800s, when around 10 to 20 meteors were spotted per hour. Ever since, the shower has picked up steam, with dozens more darting across the night sky every hour during its peak.
“This meteor shower is known for being bright and colorful,” Gohd said.
How to spot December meteors in Washington state
Stargazers have the best chance of seeing meteors if they venture away from city lights and lie flat on the ground, looking up with their feet facing south, the space agency said.
The Geminids will appear in the eastern section of the sky, near the planet Jupiter, according to NASA.
This year’s shower is “exceptionally favorable” because skies will remain dark until the waning crescent moon rises around 2 a.m., according to National Geographic.
“Watch for the spectacle’s yellow-tinged streaks and especially bright flashes, known as fireballs, which can appear anywhere in the sky,” National Geographic said.
How visible will shooting stars be in Washington?
With much of Western Washington under flood warnings, forecasters with the National Weather Service’s Seattle forecast office recommend staying inside over the weekend.
People should stay safe and away from water, weather service staff told McClatchy Media.
Western Washington residents brave enough to seek out the Geminid meteor shower amid rain showers might be out of luck, as clouds could block out the colorful phenomenon completely.
Stargazers on the east side of Washington state may have a bit more luck, however.
Although clouds are expected over the weekend due to a ridge of high pressure, forecasters with the Weather Service’s Pendleton office say there could be breaks in cloud coverage — allowing for meteor viewing.
The weather service recommended viewing the meteor shower overnight on Saturday, Dec. 13, for the best chance at a clearer sky.
