One of the biggest and brightest meteor showers of the year will be visible in the Suffolk skies this week - and here is how you can spot the phenomenon. 

The Geminid meteor shower can be relied upon as one of the most visible displays in the night skies and is a show that comes around every December.

The meteors of the Geminid meteor shower are very bright, quite fast, and multi-coloured – mainly white, some yellow and a few green, red and blue. 

Stargazers have recorded that the shower can produce over 150 meteors per hour. 

This year, the Geminid meteor shower will be active between December 4 to 20 and will peak around December 14, when the moon will remain below the horizon during the night making for optimum viewing conditions.

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The shower is so named as the shooting stars appear to come from the Gemini constellation.

While most meteor showers come from comets, Geminids are leftover bits and pieces of an asteroid.

The streaks or 'tails' that will be visible are made by particles that can be as small as a grain of sand.

Those hoping to catch a glimpse of the natural phenomenon are in luck: it is believed that the shower is growing in brightness and intensity each year and it also shows good activity before midnight. 

They can be seen with the naked eye so there's no need for binoculars or a telescope, though astronomers recommend that you allow time for your eyes to adjust to the dark and don't look at your phone. 

They will be most visible in areas with the least amount of light pollution, so wide open spaces are ideal.

It is a waiting game, so it is best to bring a comfy chair and a hot drink with you.