The 2011 Geminid meteor shower will peak on the nights of December 13 and 14. Meteor numbers intensify as evening deepens into late night. The greatest numbers fall an hour or two after midnight (December 14 and 15) – when the meteor shower radiant point looms highest in the sky – as seen from around the globe. But you might see a Geminid meteor any time this week. That’s because it takes some weeks for Earth to ford this meteor stream in space.

In 2011, that same large moon we were oo-ing and ah-ing about during Saturday night’s total lunar eclipse (December 10) will be casting its light in the sky nearly all night during the Geminid meteor shower’s best nights. Moonlight will wash out all but the brightest Geminids in 2011.

Total eclipse of the moon December 10, 2011 GALLERY

Still, if you look, you should see some meteors! Best direction to look? Like all meteors in annual showers, the meteors will appear in all parts of the sky.

You’ll find EarthSky’s top 10 tips for watching this shower below.

Geminid meteors. Image Credit: Navicore

1. The Geminids are one of the year’s best annual meteor showers. On a dark, moonless night, the Geminids often produce 50 or more meteors per hour, or nearly a meteor a minute. In 2011, the moon is in the way. You might have to settle for a single bright meteor or two – more, if you watch over several hours – streaking along in bright moonlight.

2. Dark skies away from the glare of city lights are important, even on a moonlit night For optimum viewing, find a place to observe in the country.

3. The 2011 Geminid meteor shower will be better if you work around the moon. Try watching before moonrise. Click on this custom sunrise/sunset calendar for moonrise and moonset times (be sure to check the appropriate boxes). After moonrise, try to shade yourself from the moon’s light. Sit in the shade of a house, tree or mountain – but leave an otherwise open view of sky.

4. If you were to track the Geminid meteors backwards on the sky’s dome, you’d find them streaming from a point in the sky within the boundaries of the constellation Gemini the Twins. Hence this shower’s name. The Geminid radiant point climbs over the eastern horizon before the moon does – around 7 p.m. local time for our mid-northern latitudes. The early rising time for the radiant point is why the Geminid shower is one of the few meteor showers worth watching in the evening hours. That’s good! Because there will be a narrow window of darkness after sunset and before moonrise.

Meteor showers are fun for families and friends. Via Cumbrian Sky

5. The Geminid radiant point lies close to a noticeable bright star – one of the Gemini “twins” – the star Castor. You don’t need to know Castor or the constellation Gemini to enjoy the Geminid meteor shower. All you need is an open view of the sky. But the Geminids will streak through many different constellations, and a moonlit night is a better time for learning constellations than a moonless one – because faint stars are drowned from view. So try learning a constellation or two. Many people find a star wheel very helpful.

6. In 2011, check out the planets. Five bright planets in the December 2011 sky are so bright that the moon won’t bother them at all. Venus and Jupiter are in the evening sky, and you can’t miss them. They are the two brightest objects up when the sun goes down. You can watch for the red planet Mars to rise in the east shortly before midnight. Watch Saturn rise around 3 a.m., at about the time that Jupiter sets. Just before dawn, the innermost planet Mercury climbs above the sunrise point on the horizon. Need help? Try EarthSky’s December 2011 guide to the visible planets.

Meteor photo via Ursi's Eso Garden. Image Credit: Antonio Finazzi

7. Most meteors in annual showers originate in comets. But the parent of the Geminid meteor shower is a mysterious body named 3200 Phaethon. This solar system object is termed an Apollo (near-Earth) asteroid, and it might be a dormant comet. How does that help you watch the shower? It doesn’t. But it’s fun to think about.

8. The best way to watch meteors is to bring along a buddy. Both of you watch different parts of the sky. If one of you sees one, shout out “meteor!” If you don’t know which way to look, don’t worry. Just let your eyes rove casually in all parts of the sky.

9. Special equipment? Not necessary. You only need a dark sky, a reclining lawn chair and the warmth of a sleeping bag. A hot drink is also good. Just remember. Watching a meteor shower is not like turning on the television. You can’t expect to just look out the window, or simply step outside to see meteors. Your eyes take some 20 minutes to dark-adapt. If you’re serious about it, give yourself at least an hour of viewing time. Even the best meteor showers have lulls and spurts.

10. As a wise man once said, meteor watching is a lot like fishing. You go outside. You enjoy nature all around you. You hope you catch some!

More about meteors …

How high up are meteors?

Whoosh!Can you hear a meteor streak past?