How to see tonight’s beautiful meteor shower from NYC

A splendid celestial event, the Geminids meteor shower, is scheduled to reach its peak tonight and will likely be visible from New York.

Although it will last until December 24, tonight is the best chance you've got to actually catch the spectacle in all of its glory.

What is the Geminids meteor shower?

According to NASA, the Geminids meteor shower usually peaks at this time of the year annually and it is actually "considered to be one of the best and most reliable" of its kind.

Generally speaking, meteor showers happen when the planet bumps into debris fields left behind by asteroids or comets. In this particular case, we're dealing with 3200 Phaethon, which NASA classifies as either an asteroid or a possible "rock comet."

At its peak, the shower features approximately 120 meteors per hour (that's a lot!), all yellow in color.

When can I see the Geminids meteor shower?

NASA reports that the event has been active since November 19 and will continue to be so through December 24. However, the peak of the meteor shower is tonight into tomorrow, December 14, during the pre-dawn hours.

Where can I see the Geminids meteor shower?

As is always the case when it comes to celestial event, the best chance of actually catching the show is to find a very dark patch of sky, far away from city lights, after sunset. That is, of course, not the easiest thing to do in a city like New York.

Although Central Park comes to mind when searching for proper viewing options, we suggest actually leaving air polluted Manhattan and, perhaps, spending the night in the suburbs, where accessing a wide open sky might prove to be a bit easier.

Once you do find an ideal location, NASA suggests laying "flat on your back with your feet facing south and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible."

It will take about 30 minutes for your eyes to adapt to the dark, at which point you'll most likely see the meteors, which are expected to hit in the pre-dawn hours and last until dawn.