I drove for six hours with my son last night to watch the Geminids. We watch the Persids every year, but this time was the first to watch the Geminids. They are a very different shower, we could immediately see the difference.

My advice: use online dark sky maps to find the darkest places. It makes a huge difference. And for this winter meteor shower, look at the current satellite imagery for your area to find a place with little cloud cover.

Do not use your phone while out there! Live without it for a few hours. The phone, and flashlights, vastly affects how well your eyes will see the meteors. Remember, you are literally looking at objects the size of a grain of sand, 100 to 200 kilometres away.

Bring hot chocolate in a large thermos. And warm hats. And somebody you love.