Geminids meteor shower peak, 13 and 14 December 2026

The Geminids, one of the strongest meteor showers of the year, peak in the night of Sunday 13 to Monday 14 December 2026. This is a favourable year for the Netherlands: the crescent moon is only about 22 percent illuminated and does not interfere with observation.

Why it matters

The Dutch astronomy site hemel.waarnemen.com puts the shower’s theoretical maximum at around 120 meteors per hour and expects roughly 49 to 65 Geminids per hour under a genuinely dark Dutch sky in the best observing slot, before dawn on 14 December around 04:30, with 60 to 75 meteors per hour in total when other showers are counted in. The International Meteor Organization’s 2026 calendar confirms the 14 December maximum and notes that the radiant rises in mid-evening, so the whole night is usable. The exact peak moment falls in the late morning of 14 December, Dutch time, which means the nights of 13 to 14 and 14 to 15 December are both productive.

Practical information

There is no venue and no ticket: the shower is visible from anywhere in the country with a dark enough sky. The standing advice from Dutch astronomy outreach is simple: naked eye, a dark location away from city light, and warm clothing. No telescope or binoculars are needed; a wide view of the sky works best. In a Dutch December the weather is the deciding factor, so check the cloud forecast on the night. Activity runs from roughly 4 to 20 December, so nights around the peak also produce meteors.

Common questions

When exactly should I look?

The best slot is before dawn on Monday 14 December, around 04:30. The peak itself falls in the late morning of 14 December, Dutch time, so the nights of 13 to 14 and 14 to 15 December both work.

How many meteors will I see?

Under a dark sky, roughly 49 to 65 Geminids per hour in the best pre-dawn slot, and 60 to 75 meteors per hour in total. The often-quoted 120 per hour is a theoretical maximum under ideal conditions, not a Dutch backyard figure.

Does the moon spoil it this year?

No. The moon is about 22 percent illuminated and, according to hemel.waarnemen.com, does not interfere.

Do I need equipment?

No. Meteors are best seen with the naked eye, from a dark location, dressed warmly.

Where do the Geminids come from?

The shower’s parent body is the asteroid 3200 Phaethon; the Earth crosses its debris trail every December.