Look up! No, it's not Santa — it's the "Geminids" meteor shower, one of the largest meteor showers of the year, and it's expected to peak this week.
The Geminids meteor shower differs from many others in that it's produced by an asteroid rather than a comet, NBC 5 Meteorologist Kevin Jeanes said. This leads to slightly brighter meteors that do not produce trails as they do when derived from comet debris.
According to experts, sky gazers could be treated to as many as 120 meteors, or shooting stars, per hour as part of the shower.
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Here's when and how to see it, and what other meteor showers are coming up.
When to see the Geminids Meteor shower
Those in the Chicago area can likely see the shower in the early morning hours of Wednesday, Dec. 13 and Thursday, Dec. 14, with the best viewing time likely to be between midnight and 6 a.m. on both days.
While the overnight hours provide the best opportunity to get a look at the meteor shower, it may be possible to see some of Geminids prior to midnight on those dates as well.
The meteors radiate from the constellation “Gemini” which is in the western sky after midnight.
Best ways to view the meteor shower
Jeanes suggests viewers try to get away from city lights, and give your eyes at least 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness. That means you may be outside overnight for awhile -- so dress warm and bring blankets.
Jeanes also recommends using your peripheral vision to locate objects in the sky.
You can check hourly sky conditions using the NBC 5 app.
According to the Adler Planetarium, viewers have a good chance of seeing it, since skies will be darker due to the new Moon on Dec. 12.
"To get the best possible view of the Geminids, find a spot far from light, face east," the Planetarium said.
More upcoming meteor showers
The Geminids shower will be followed by the Ursids meteor shower during the morning hours of Friday, Dec. 22 and Saturday, Dec. 23.
This shower will likely only draw five to 10 meteors per hour, with a nearly full moon also complicating any potential views of the shower.
The Quadrantids shower will then head toward the Chicago area in January, and is expected to peak on Thursday, Jan. 4. This shower could bring as few as 40 and as many as 100 meteors per hour, and will appear near the Big Dipper in the northeast sky in the early morning hours.
Keep in mind these meteors are still visible outside of their peak dates, as meteor showers often last for weeks around their peaks.
