One of this year’s final meteor showers will peak in the Australian sky on Wednesday night but be sure to get outside before the moon rises for the best chance to see shooting stars.

The Geminids meteor shower occurs in November and December each year, as Earth passes through a trail of debris left behind by an asteroid named 3200 Phaethon. The Geminids are unusual because most meteor showers are caused by debris from comets, not asteroids.

The peak of this year’s Geminids meteor shower will occur in Australia on the night between Wednesday, December 14 and Thursday, December 15.

Under ideal viewing conditions, the Geminids can produce around 120 shooting stars per hour. However, the Southern Hemisphere doesn’t usually get as good a show as the Northern Hemisphere and this year, a waning gibbous moon will affect the spectacle too.

The best way to watch tonight’s peak of the Geminids meteor shower is to look towards the northeast after the radiant has risen – the point in the sky where the meteors appear to originate from – and before the moon rises. Below is a guide for the best viewing times in each city, clouds and weather permitting.