Mars and Jupiter are also visible during the 2024 Geminid Meteor Shower

The Geminids usually close the year out with dozens of meteors per hour but 2024's edition unfortunately aligns with Sunday's full moon. But that doesn't mean this meteor shower peaking this weekend will be a complete bust.

Meteor activity is expected peak over a couple hours beginning shortly before sunset Friday evening. But about 75% of the meteors will be hidden by the nearly full moon. The rest will likely be lost behind mostly cloudy skies.

Your best opportunity to see the most meteors is the predawn hours on Saturday morning. Be sure to bundle up. Temperatures are forecast to be in the low 30s.

Thursday's mostly clear skies also offers meteor spotting opportunities. Look to the darkest part of the sky (away from the Moon) as skies begin to get really dark beginning around 6 p.m. dark.

Two to three hours before sunrise are best because this is when the Earth is turning into the stream of debris which fuels each meteor shower.

This is when the atmosphere scoops up the pebble and sand sized rocks left behind by dead comet 3200 Phaethon when it last passed through our part of the solar system about a year ago.

Phaethon, named for the son of the Greek god Helios, is a dried up comet which continues to eject dust as it's orbit takes it closer to the Sun than any other named comet.