Geminid meteor shower 2021: How to see it in Bolton

The Geminid shower is a fast and bright meteor that is usually seen in December and is expected to peak on December 13. 

It is best seen in clear weather conditions, and those who hope to view it will be happy to hear that the weather may be perfect for anyone wanting to catch a glimpse of it. 

Here's everything you need to know about the Geminid meteor shower this week and whether you can see it in Bolton.

How to see the Geminid meteor shower

The meteor shower can be seen with the naked eye, but it is best not to look directly at the radiant as this can limit the number of meteors you can see.

Instead, people should look just to the side in a dark area of the sky for a better chance of seeing the display.

Met Office Bolton weather forecast for Geminid shower

The Met Office predicts there will be clearer skies on Monday and it will be drier than the weekend.

It could be slightly cloudier in the evening with some rain, but stargazers can hope to catch a glimpse of the meteor throughout the night and into the early hours of Tuesday as rain should stop at around 8pm.

Keep up to date with the weather forecast and the chance to view the Geminid meteor shower on the Met Office Website.

What is the Geminid meteor shower?

Meteors are pieces of debris that enter Earth’s atmosphere at speeds of up to 70km per second, vaporising and causing the streaks of light we call meteors.

Geminids are very bright, moderately fast, and are unusual in being multi-coloured.

They are mainly white; however some are yellow and a few are green, red and blue.

The shower is known to produce more than 100 meteors an hour at its peak, although light pollution and other factors mean that in reality the actual number visible is far fewer.

The source of the shooting stars is a stream of debris left behind by the asteroid 3200 Phaethon, making this one of the only major showers not to originate from a comet.