Last Chance to See Spectacular Geminid Meteor Shower in British Skies Tonight

Sky observers in Britain have one last chance to catch the 2025 Geminid meteor shower as night falls tonight, with the potential for up to 150 shooting stars per hour at its peak. The Geminids are notable because they originate from 3200 Phaethon, an object that is rocky in nature rather than an icy comet. The Royal Greenwich Observatory described the meteors as very bright and moderately fast, with a multicolored display that includes white, yellow, and occasional green, red and blue tones, a result of traces of metals such as sodium and calcium.

Geminid activity, typically producing between 120 and 160 meteors per hour at the peak, will be more striking under darker skies. With a crescent Moon at about 26% brightness and the New Moon rising tonight, observers may enjoy particularly favorable viewing conditions. The lack of bright moonlight helps meteors stand out against the backdrop of a dark sky, increasing the chance of catching a bright fireball as the debris from 3200 Phaethon streaks across the atmosphere. The event’s brightness and color are a familiar hallmark of the Geminids, drawing stargazers from backyards and open fields alike.

The peak of the shower occurred on December 14, when activity was at its highest, but keen skywatchers can still see meteors into the late hours of tonight. Observers are advised to give themselves time to scan a broad swath of sky rather than focusing on a single point, and to pick a location away from city lights to maximize visibility. In good conditions, viewers can expect to see upwards of 100 shooting stars an hour, or roughly one or two every minute. When skies are less favorable, the number of visible meteors naturally diminishes, underscoring the importance of finding a dark, clear vantage point.

The Met Office cautions that weather could hamper viewing tonight, with rain and strong winds moving into the southwest and Wales before reaching Northern Ireland, then easing slowly in some areas. Low cloud and hill fog are expected to drift north from the southeast, with some drizzle at times. Scotland is expected to be the driest region. Temperatures are likely to be mild by nightfall, but visibility will depend on cloud cover and precipitation in each locality.

Dr Shyam Balaji, of King’s College London, told The Daily Mail that the best time to view the Geminid meteor shower is around 2 a.m. local time, when the radiant point is highest in the sky. “However, you can start watching from mid-evening onward,” Balaji noted, emphasizing the importance of a wide field of view and a dark site. Viewers are encouraged to lie back and observe a broad panorama of stars, scanning for short streaks that last a second or two as meteors cross the sky.

Dr Robert Massey, Deputy Executive Director at the Royal Astronomical Society, offered practical viewing advice: “With a meteor shower what you want is the widest possible view—you want to be lying down, looking up at the broad panoply of stars, and watching for meteors. The best view is if you’re away from light pollution, so try and get away from at least direct lights in towns and cities, ideally out in the countryside. Obviously you also need a clear sky—if it’s cloudy you’re not going to see anything.”

Following the Geminids, keen fireball hunters will be able to catch the Ursid Meteor Shower, which peaks on December 22, though it is typically weaker than the Geminids. Amateur astronomers should manage expectations, but dark, clear skies around midnight can still yield a satisfying stream of streaks as the skies advance toward winter dawn.

The Geminid shower’s timing and brightness have made it a perennial favorite for observers, and this year’s display is particularly notable because of the color variation and the relatively dark skies expected tonight. As December wears on, many stargazers will continue to look upward, hoping for another clear night to savor the cosmos before the year ends.