The Geminid meteor shower is an annual event that occurs every December, and people will be able to watch it in the UK this week.

Up to 150 meteors are expected to be visible per hour, although the bright moon might make it harder to spot them.

The Geminids originate from a rocky asteroid called 3200 Phaethon with a comet-like orbit and were first observed in 1862.

Stargazing events you can see in 2022

The meteors, small pieces of interplanetary debris, appear to radiate from near the bright star Castor in the constellation Gemini.

Friction with the upper atmosphere heats up the incoming debris, causing the air around them to glow brightly.

When to watch the Geminid meteor shower in the UK

The meteor shower is expected to peak during the night of Wednesday, December 14 and into the early morning of Thursday, December 15.

READ MORE: Celestial events taking place in the UK in 2022

Anna Gammon-Ross, astronomer at Royal Observatory in Greenwich, told the PA news agency: “Unfortunately, the waning gibbous moon will make it trickier to see the meteors during the peak night this year.

“The gibbous phases are when the near side of the moon is over halfway lit up by the Sun, meaning it will appear very bright in our skies.

“This will make it difficult to see any other celestial objects nearby.”

She added the best way to minimise its impact is to look for meteors before the moon rises – at around 10pm in the UK on the peak night