One of the year’s most impressive sky spectacles will close out 2023 with the peak of the Geminids meteor shower.

The Geminids began mid-November and will build until the peak overnight between Dec. 13-14. After that, it will decrease in intensity until it ends on Christmas Eve – Dec. 24. According to NASA, the Geminids is considered to be one of the best and most reliable annual meteor showers, capable of producing up to 120 shooting stars per hour.

Geminid meteors are bright and fast and tend to be yellow to greenish in color. They are best viewed during the night and pre-dawn hours, starting as early as 9 p.m. – 10 p.m.

To view, NASA recommends finding an area far away from city or street lights. Come prepared for winter temperatures and then lie flat on your back with your feet facing south and looking up, taking in as much of the sky as possible. It will take about 30 minutes for your eyes to adapt to the dark and you will begin to see meteors.

Meteors are produced by leftover comet particles and bits of asteroids. When the objects come around the sun, they leave a dusty trail and, when the Earth passes through that debris, bits collide with the atmosphere and disintegrate creating the fiery and colorful streaks in the sky.

The Geminids are from Phaethon 3200, a small asteroid that takes 1.4 years to orbit the sun. It was first discovered on Oct. 11 1983 and, due to its close approach to the sin, was named after the Greek mythological character who drove the Sun god Helios’ chariot.