Look up! 'Best meteor shower of the year' will be on show tonight
The "best meteor shower of the year" will peak on Friday and Saturday night, according to Astronomy Ireland.
Up to 20 times more shooting stars than normal will be seen across the two nights, as a Geminid Meteor Shower reaches its peak activity over Ireland.
And this particular shower is known for "producing many bright fireballs".
According to Astronomy Ireland's David Moore, the Perseid Meteor Shower in August was the best performer in recent decades. However, recently it has declined somewhat to leave the Geminids "reigning supreme".
And in good news for stargazers, the Geminids will begin as soon as it gets dark around 5pm and will run until dawn, unlike the Perseids in August which cannot be seen until after 11pm.
What causes Geminids
The Geminids are caused by tiny pieces of space debris that fell off a small extinct comet or asteroid called Phaethon.
Phaethon goes around the sun every one and a half years.
"It has probably been around the sun thousands of times, and has spat out dust particles that have now spread all around its orbit," said Mr. Moore.
When to watch
The Geminid shower actually lasts for about two weeks in total, it has been in action since December 4 and will come to an end on December 20.
But rates will be highest on Friday and Saturday night.
Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight as with all showers, but do start watching from 6pm.
What to look for
Geminid meteors can appear anywhere in the sky.
For optimal viewing, you should fill your field of vision with the sky. This may involve craning your neck back so you can barely see the horizon at the bottom of your field of vision.
A deck chair or sun lounger is ideal for this, or even a blanket on the ground.
