'Spectacular' meteor shower associated with an asteroid - not comet - to light up sky

A "spectacular" meteor shower is expected to light up the night sky this weekend.

The Geminid shower, which is referred to as a "meteor storm" because of its intensity, is forecast to peak sometime between Saturday and Sunday.

The shower has been known to produce more than 150 meteors per hour at its peak, but due to light pollution and other factors the number seen is usually considerably less.

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

Dr Minjae Kim, a research fellow in the physics department at the University of Warwick, said: "The Geminids are one of the most spectacular meteor showers of the year.

"They are fascinating as they're one of the few major meteor showers associated with an asteroid 3200 Phaethon rather than a comet."

According to the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, the bright meteors of the Geminid shower are unusual in that they are multi-coloured, with most of them being white but some being yellow and a few green, red and blue.

The colours are partly caused by the presence of traces of metals such as sodium and calcium, the same effect that is used to make fireworks colourful.

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

While the shower can be observed with the naked eye, it is recommended stargazers ready themselves for some time outside as it may take a while for them to observe the spectacular streaks.

Those hoping to catch a glimpse are advised to find a wide open space away from sources of light pollution.