Geminids

The Geminids are a prolific meteor shower with 3200 Phaethon (which is thought to be an Apollo asteroid[4] with a "rock comet" orbit.

[7][8] The Geminid meteor shower is unique among celestial events as it originates not from a comet but from the asteroid 3200 Phaethon, discovered on Oct. 11, 1983, by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS).

Despite its comet-like orbit, Phaethon lacks a cometary tail and exhibits spectra resembling a rocky asteroid.

Named after the Greek mythological figure who drove the Sun-god Helios' chariot, Phaethon's discovery was attributed to astronomer Fred Whipple.

Well north of the equator, the radiant rises about sunset, reaching a usable elevation from the local evening hours onwards.

Appearance of the Geminids on 13 December 2025 at 21:00 local winter time
A Geminid meteor in 2007, seen from San Francisco
Asteroid (3200) Phaethon, parent body of the Geminids, imaged on December 25, 2010, with the 37 cm F14 Cassegrain telescope of Winer Observatory , Sonoita (MPC 857)
Animated GIF of a Geminid meteor falling earthwards