Space

Make A Wish: The Geminid Meteor Shower Peaks Sunday Night

NASA theorizes the annual meteor shower will boast 120 meteors per hour.

Make A Wish: The Geminid Meteor Shower Peaks Sunday Night
Mike Lewinski / CC BY 2.0
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The annual Geminid meteor shower will peak Sunday night.

The Geminids' name comes from the constellation Gemini, where the meteors seem to emerge from. (Video via NASA)

NASA says, theoretically, the shower boasts 120 meteors per hour.

And the average Geminid's arc can be seen for one to two seconds. 

Geminids are really the debris of an extinct comet known as 3200 Phaethon.

As 3200 Phaethon's orbit nears Mercury's, it heats up, which creates a bright tail. (Video via NASA)

The Geminid meteor shower lasts weeks, but between Sunday night and Monday morning will be the best time to watch the sky. 

This video includes images from Getty Images, Rocky Raybell / CC BY 2.0 and Mike Lewinski / CC BY 2.0.