Geminids meteor shower 2020: What to know

About 50 meteors or more per hour can be seen on a dark night during the peak of the Geminids, with optimum showers reaching as high as 150 per hour.

A Geminids meteor shower is seen above the mountain range in Nagarkot. 2017 (photo credit: NAVESH CHITRAKAR/REUTERS)
A Geminids meteor shower is seen above the mountain range in Nagarkot. 2017
(photo credit: NAVESH CHITRAKAR/REUTERS)
The Geminids' meteor shower, one of the most active of the year, will peak on Sunday night and Monday night, lighting up the skies with bright and colorful shooting stars.
As the moon will not set until about midnight, the best time to see the shower will be after that point, according to the Israel Space Agency. The best time to watch will be at about 2 a.m., according to EarthSky.
While the peak viewing time is from 2 a.m., try keeping an eye out in the early evening hours as well as that's when Earth-grazers, slow-moving meteors with long-lasting trails, are most likely to be seen, although they are very rare.
The Geminids tend to be very bright and can be multi-colored, with some yellow, green, and orange meteors showing up amid the shower, according to the American Meteor Society.
Usually about 50 meteors or more per hour can be seen on a dark night during the peak of the Geminids, with optimum showers reaching as high as 150 per hour, which could be possible this year as the moon will be a relatively small waning crescent on Sunday and a new moon on Monday, leaving the skies relatively dark.
While the shower's radiant point, where the meteors appear to radiate from, is located in the constellation Gemini, meteors can show up at any point in the sky.
As with all meteor showers, it is best to find an area with as little light pollution as possible and to avoid looking at bright lights (including your phone) to allow your eyes to adjust to the dark. Bring a blanket and warm clothing and a warm drink if you can as it is winter and lie on your back in order to see as much of the sky as possible.
The shower may be partially obstructed in central and northern Israel, where it is expected to be partially cloudy on Sunday night, according to the Israel Meteorological Service, although southern Israel and the Jerusalem area are expected to have clear skies. On Monday night, cloudy skies and even rain are expected throughout Israel, so try and catch the show on Sunday night if you can.