100 Meteors Per-Hour Will Light Up The Night Sky This Week

A big meteor shower will peak this week, and a comet will make its closest approach to Earth. Here's when to look up.

Maine is a great place to see one of the best meteor showers of the year. It's not very hard to find dark areas away from light pollution to get a clear view of the night sky.

The Geminid meteor shower will peak Thursday and Friday, Dec. 13-14. This is one of the most reliable meteor showers, and easily seen. The "Gems" create long, bright, streaks in the night sky. This is because they hit Earth's atmosphere at a relativity slow speed, about 79,200 MPH.

The best viewing is around 2 a.m., but can be seen as early as 10 p.m. This is one of the best meteor showers of the year with about 100 meteors per-hour, according to Space.com.

Another spacey event will take place this weekend. The brightest comet in the sky will make its closest approach to Earth. According to EarthSky.org, Sunday Dec. 16, comet 46P/Wirtanen will pass Earth within 7.1 million miles. Although it's the brightest comet that can be seen from Earth, it will be hard to see with the naked eye.