The Geminid meteor shower, one of the most active and colorful meteor displays of the year, is due to peak on the evening of December 14; giving stargazers a beautiful show of green fireballs in the night sky if the weather remains clear.

Per a recent report by CNN, the shower will be most visible in the early morning hours: 1 am to 2 am, with early meteors in the evening appearing longer, with large streaks that last several seconds. Later, the meteors will have faster streaks and leave behind glowing trails of smoke.

So if you live in a city or an area with plenty of light pollution, then it might be best to drive to a more remote location to see the stars without the glowing bulbs of the city obstructing your view. If you manage that, then apparently the streaking meteors could be visible every couple of minutes from 10 pm till dawn.

According to the American Meteor Society, you should remember to: "Give your eyes time to adjust to the darkness. It is also advisable to watch for as long as possible as meteor activity waxes and wanes throughout the night."

The AMS adds: "These periods often last as long as 15 minutes so it is advisable to watch for an hour or more so that you witness several peaks and valleys and get a real feel of the meteor activity."

The AMS continues: "In order to view for that long, you need to be comfortable so a lounge chair is recommended. Lie back and view at a 45 degree (halfway up) angle to see the most activity. In the northern hemisphere be sure to have a blanket (hot beverages recommended!)."

"You can face in any direction as Geminid meteors can be seen in any part of the sky. No matter what part of the sky they appear, they will all trace back to the radiant near the bright star known as Castor."

So there you are; if you want to take some time out to appreciate the true splendor of space, then find a quiet place outside and look up at the heavens. You could see something truly spectacular tonight!

The Geminid meteor shower, one of the most active and colorful meteor displays of the year, is due to peak on the evening of December 14; giving stargazers a beautiful show of green fireballs in the night sky if the weather remains clear.

Per a recent report by CNN, the shower will be most visible in the early morning hours: 1 am to 2 am, with early meteors in the evening appearing longer, with large streaks that last several seconds. Later, the meteors will have faster streaks and leave behind glowing trails of smoke.

So if you live in a city or an area with plenty of light pollution, then it might be best to drive to a more remote location to see the stars without the glowing bulbs of the city obstructing your view. If you manage that, then apparently the streaking meteors could be visible every couple of minutes from 10 pm till dawn.

According to the American Meteor Society, you should remember to: "Give your eyes time to adjust to the darkness. It is also advisable to watch for as long as possible as meteor activity waxes and wanes throughout the night."

The AMS adds: "These periods often last as long as 15 minutes so it is advisable to watch for an hour or more so that you witness several peaks and valleys and get a real feel of the meteor activity."

The AMS continues: "In order to view for that long, you need to be comfortable so a lounge chair is recommended. Lie back and view at a 45 degree (halfway up) angle to see the most activity. In the northern hemisphere be sure to have a blanket (hot beverages recommended!)."

"You can face in any direction as Geminid meteors can be seen in any part of the sky. No matter what part of the sky they appear, they will all trace back to the radiant near the bright star known as Castor."

So there you are; if you want to take some time out to appreciate the true splendor of space, then find a quiet place outside and look up at the heavens. You could see something truly spectacular tonight!