Meteor Showers

Watch the Night Sky – Prime Time for Meteor Showers

Geminid Meteor Shower (the year’s best)

The Geminids are generally considered the most spectacular annual meteor shower, often producing 100–120 meteors per hour under ideal dark-sky conditions—more than the Perseids.

For 2026:

• Peak: Sunday night, December 13, into Monday morning, December 14
• Best viewing: 9:00 p.m. until about 2:00 a.m.
• Prime hours: 10:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.
• Moon: Only about 21% illuminated, so the sky will remain beautifully dark for most of the night, making conditions excellent.

One advantage over the Perseids is that you don’t have to stay up until 3:00 a.m. The Geminid radiant climbs high enough by late evening that the show is already well underway.

🌌 On Hornby Island

Hornby is one of the finest places in southern British Columbia to watch meteor showers because of its relatively dark skies.

Some favourite viewing spots are:

• Tribune Bay Beach (especially the southern end)
• Helliwell Provincial Park (parking area and open meadows)
• Mount Geoffrey viewpoints
• Ford Cove shoreline
• Any open beach facing away from Vancouver Island’s light glow

Dress warmly—December nights are often 0–5°C, so a reclining chair, sleeping bag, blanket, and thermos of something hot make a big difference.

🌠 Another December shower

If you miss the Geminids, the Ursid Meteor Shower peaks on December 21–22. It’s much smaller (typically 5–10 meteors per hour), but occasionally surprises observers with brief bursts of activity.