Geminids 2017: See One of the Year's Best Meteor Showers
Published 13 Dec 2017, 08:53 GMT, Updated 13 Dec 2017, 11:07 GMT
A bright meteor streaks the sky near Sirius during the Geminid meteor shower peak.
Photograph by Babak Tafreshi, National Geographic Creative
Geminid meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Gemini, the twins.
Photograph by Illustration by Andrew Fazekas, Skyguide
The asteroid 3200 Phaethon will be a fairly easy target for sky-watchers with small telescopes on 16th December.
Photograph by Illustration by Andrew Fazekas, Skyguide
During its elongated orbit, 3200 Phaethon comes closer to the sun than any other known asteroid.
Photograph by Illustration by Andrew Fazekas, Skyguide
On 16th December, the asteroid will pass within 6.4 million miles of the planet—the closest it's been since 1974.
Photograph by Illustration by Andrew Fazekas, Skyguide