As celebratory lights of December deck the streets and houses, so too will the darkened nights blaze with sparkling flashes. This time of year brings a stretch of meteor showers that last nearly the entire month. The crowning peak of the meteor showers is the exciting Geminids. Not only does the opportunity to see brilliant streaks extend through the night, but as darkness starts early, so does viewing for this bright, prolific shower. With the moon nearly at a new phase, conditions are great to bundle up and step outside the nights of Dec. 13-14.

Although the Geminids are expected to bring a show of about 75+ meteors an hour, several lesser meteor showers will add a flash or two. The first three minor meteor showers of December will be met with a lot of moonlight interference. At peak, they would bring about three meteors an hour. Then, warming up for the Geminids are the a-Hydrids and the Monocerotids, minor showers which will have less moonlight meddling. Post-Geminids, joining the festivities, are the Comae Berenicids, peaking on Dec. 16. Coma Berenices, the constellation from which the meteors seem to radiate, is the only modern constellation named after a historic person, Queen Berenice II of Egypt. Finally, the Ursids meteor shower will close out the month, adding its glitter to the lengthening winter nights.