The Geminids: The Mystery Meteoroids

The source of the December Geminid shower is an asteroid called 3200 Phaethon, which is trailed by a cloud of dust. Bits of dust traveling 80,000 miles per hour hit our atmosphere and turn into glowing meteor.

The meteor display is known as the Geminid meteor shower because it appears to radiate from near the star Castor in the constellation Gemini

A Geminid meteor streaks diagonally across the sky against a field of star trails over one of the peaks of the Seven Sisters rock formation early December 14, 2007 in the Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada.

Wally Pacholka (AstroPics.com, TWAN/NASA

Geminid Meteor photographed over Monument Valley.

The Geminids were first noticed in the mid-1800's, but the shower's source remained unknown until 1983. That's when NASA's Infrared Astronomy Satellite spotted 3200 Phaethon. Scientists put two and two together after discovering that Phaethon and the Geminid meteoroid stream follow almost identical orbits.

Researchers remain unsure why an asteroid should have a debris trail - but this one does, so enjoy the show.