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TONIGHT: Geminid meteor shower to light the sky

Posted at 7:00 AM, Dec 13, 2018
and last updated 2018-12-13 11:18:03-05

If you want to see an amazing show tonight, just look up to the sky.

One of the most flamboyant meteor showers will rain shooting stars Thursday night, lighting up the night sky for up to 2 seconds at a time.

And lucky for everyone, the Geminid meteor shower will be visible in both the northern and southern hemispheres, NASA said. Many of the bright arcs can be seen for 1-2 seconds each.

Even better, the Geminid meteor shower actually lasts for two weeks, the space agency said. But the best show will happen between Sunday and Monday.

FORECAST: See what's in store for weather

The Geminid Meteor Shower peaks Thursday and Friday nights with the best viewing times in the hours after midnight, before dawn. For darker skies, head away from the metro area to see less light pollution.

"Near-peak Geminid rates usually persist for almost a day though, so much of the world has the chance to enjoy something of the shower's best, regardless of when the maximum actually happens," the International Meteor Organization said.

The Geminid meteor shower, an annual event, got its name because the meteors look like they're coming from the constellation of Gemini.

It's also grown up over the years.

"The Geminids started out as a relatively weak meteor shower when first discovered in the early 19th century," NASA said. "Over time, it has grown into the strongest annual shower, with theoretical rates above 120 meteors per hour."