Astronomy Shooting star rain reaches its peak during the night
One of the heaviest shooting star showers of the year is on its way. The annual Geminid meteor shower will reach its peak on Sunday night.
13.12.2025, 09:01
SDA
According to the Swiss Astronomical Society (SAG), up to 120 to 150 shooting stars per hour can be seen under optimal conditions - i.e. in clear skies, away from bright cities and with a clear view in all directions.
In reality, however, the actual number of visible shooting stars is usually significantly lower, as light pollution, clouds, moonlight and limited visibility make observation more difficult, the SAG writes on its website. Around 20 to 30 shooting stars per hour are realistic near cities.
The meteor storm named after the constellation Gemini - gemini in Latin - produces many bright shooting stars. The shooting stars originate from a cloud of dust that passes through the earth on its orbit around the sun at the same time every year.
In the process, the dust particles enter the Earth's atmosphere, where they then produce the luminous phenomena known as shooting stars. Due to their comparatively slow entry speed, the Geminids leave trails in the sky that go out more slowly than usual.
