The Geminid meteor shower happens once every year in December. It is considered one of the most reliable annual meteor showers.
Basic frequency
The Geminids occur when Earth passes through a stream of debris left by the asteroid 3200 Phaethon, which it does once per year as Earth completes its orbit around the Sun. This yearly crossing produces the shower around the same mid‑December period each year.
Typical dates each year
In most years, the Geminid meteor shower is active for several days in early to mid‑December and peaks around December 13–14. Different astronomy organizations list slightly different active ranges, such as roughly December 4–17 or 4–20, but all agree on a mid‑December annual peak.
