Geminids Meteor Shower 2026 (How to Watch in San Francisco)

NASA

The cosmos’ annual gift to sky watchers, the Geminids Meteor Shower, is visible from December 4 to December 17, 2026, and will peak on the night of December 13-14, 2026.

The Geminids are usually the strongest meteor shower of the year, producing up to 150 meteors per hour under ideal conditions. The meteors are often bright and intensely colored, making this one of the year’s most impressive showers. Unlike most meteor showers, the Geminids are produced by debris from an asteroid, 3200 Phaethon, rather than a comet.

2026 Geminids Meteor Shower

Active Period: December 4 – December 17, 2026
Peak: December 13-14, 2026
Best Viewing: From about 10 p.m. through dawn

The Geminids are one of the few major meteor showers that can provide good viewing before midnight, since the constellation Gemini is well placed in the sky from around 10 p.m. onward. In 2026, the Moon will be only about 21% illuminated during the peak, so moonlight should have relatively little effect on viewing.

For prime viewing, find an area away from city and streetlights, bundle up for winter weather, bring a blanket or sleeping bag for extra comfort, lie flat on your back with your feet facing south, and look up. Give yourself at least an hour of observing time. It takes about 30 minutes for your eyes to adapt to the dark, so avoid looking at your phone or other bright screens while watching.

The Geminids can be seen from both the Northern and Southern hemispheres, although viewers in the Southern Hemisphere will see fewer meteors. The shower is especially well positioned for Bay Area skywatchers, who can potentially catch meteors beginning around 10 p.m. and continuing through the early morning hours.

Learn more at American Metero Shower