Summit County, look up: Geminid meteor shower promises all-night show

Photo: Photo by Michał Mancewicz

PARK CITY, Utah — One of the most spectacular sky shows of the year is approaching Summit County as the Geminid meteor shower peaks during the night of December 13 into the early hours of December 14, 2025. According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, the Geminids will reach maximum activity on these nights, with excellent viewing conditions available “all night long.”

The Year’s Best “Shooting Stars”

The Old Farmer’s Almanac describes the Geminids as the most active and often the best meteor shower of the year, consistently outperforming the more famous Perseids in August. Under dark skies, observers may see several dozen meteors, up to 75 or more streaks per hour under ideal conditions, making the Geminids the largest meteor shower on the annual calendar.

Unlike many showers that originate from comets, the Geminids are produced from debris left by the asteroid 3200 Phaethon, which was first detected by a NASA satellite in 1983. As Earth passes through this debris stream each December, bits of rock no larger than grains of sand burn up high in our atmosphere, creating the “shooting stars” visible from backyards across Utah.

When to Watch

For this year’s show, the timing is perfect for night owls and early risers. The Almanac’s December sky guide highlights December 13–14 as the key dates for the Geminids, noting that they will be active all night with the radiant point in the northeast. The Almanac overview suggests that skywatchers begin looking skyward after 9 p.m. on December 13 to catch the Geminid meteors as they climb higher into the sky.

In practical terms, for Summit County, this means:

– Start watching: After around 9 p.m. on Saturday, December 13.
– Best viewing window: Late evening through the pre-dawn hours of Sunday, December 14, when the radiant in Gemini is highest, and meteors can be seen throughout the entire sky.

Dark, Moonless Skies This Year

In some years, bright moonlight can obscure fainter meteors. However, for 2025, The Old Farmer’s Almanac highlights that the full “Cold Moon,” also a supermoon, occurs several days before the peak of the Geminids, resulting in “exceptionally dark skies” for the main event on December 13–14.

This combination of high activity and dark skies is why the Almanac identifies the 2025 Geminids as the year’s top meteor event and a don’t-miss opportunity for skywatchers.

How to See the Geminids from Park City

The Old Farmer’s Almanac offers several straightforward strategies for watching the Geminids:

1. Get away from bright lights. Seek a darker location away from urban glow or house lights—consider trailheads, open fields, or any safe, unobstructed area with a broad view of the sky.

2. Give your eyes time to adjust. Allow 20–30 minutes for your eyes to adapt to the dark; avoid checking your phone, as bright screens can reset your night vision.

3. Look up and relax. You don’t need a telescope or binoculars. Lie back, let your gaze roam across the entire sky rather than fixating on one point, and watch for movement. The meteors seem to radiate from the constellation Gemini in the northeast but can appear anywhere overhead.

4. Dress appropriately for winter in the Wasatch. The Geminids favor cold, clear nights. Multiple warm layers, hats, gloves, blankets, sleeping bags, and a reclining chair can make your hour of watching much more enjoyable.

A Reason to Step Outside

If the skies cooperate, residents of Summit County could enjoy the brightest meteor display of 2025 right over their rooftops—no lift ticket required, just a clear night and a touch of patience, as predicted by The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

The Geminids provide a wonderful opportunity to step into the dark, share a thermos with family or friends, and witness Earth’s passage through an ancient trail of starry dust.