While the vast majority of meteor showers come from comets, the Geminids originate from the asteroid 3200 Phaethon. It gets closer to the Sun than any other named asteroid, closer than half the distance of Mercury’s orbit, which is why astronomers named it after Phaethon, the son of the Sun god Helios.

The Geminids first began appearing in the mid-1800s. They are bright, so they're often easier to see than other meteors, NASA explained.

The last big meteor shower of the year peaks this month and should be visible over Ontario. The Geminids meteor shower, which peaks during mid-December each year, is considered to be one of the best annual meteor showers,