The Geminid meteor shower is coming later next week. It's usually one of the best of the year, though colder than the summer Perseids. The peak is expected to be on the 13th, but you should see something either side of that too. It's the dark of the Moon, so you'll also be able to see fainter meteors.

Click here to see the Meteorwatch blockbuster trailer. But I assure you that explosions and flames are not part of this (or any other) meteor shower.

Here is an article about the Perseids, but a lot of the information is relevant to the Geminids.

The latest prediction is that the Geminids will peak at around midnight on December 13. But if you have a clear, dark sky, you should still be able to see activity from tonight through early Saturday morning.

Some meteors just whiz by and are gone before you get your eyes focused. However the Geminids are some of the slower ones and tend to be bright and slightly yellowish.

People are already seeing Geminids. Here is a picture taken this morning of a Geminid fireball seen in Italy 12/12/12

There are reports of around fifty an hour for last night. Did anyone see anything?

We were completely clouded over last night and it's been raining all day.

If you have a clear sky, it's still worth a look tonight.

Here is a photo of a Geminid fireball taken from a mountain in Arkansas: Geminid fireball - Brian Emfinger.

But it's not over yet. Space Weather says: " At maximum, worldwide observers counted more than 120 meteors per hour. The shower is subsiding now, but it's not over yet; elevated rates are expected for another 24 hours as Earth slowly exits 3200 Phaethon's debris stream." (15th December)