How to Photograph the Geminid Meteor Shower

Meteor showers are among the most popular photo subjects for those who love space and photography.

However, capturing these fleeting celestial beauties on camera can be tricky for someone taking photos of the night sky for the first time.

If this were the early 2000s, you’d have to invest in rolls of films plus the cost of developing them just to get a single decent image (yes, really).

But now, with technology progressing in leaps and bounds, even someone with little experience can snap the most immaculate meteor photos.

So, if you plan to photograph the Geminid meteor shower before the year ends but don’t know where to begin, this post is for you.

Below are five expert tips for capturing the best Geminid meteor shower photos in 2024!

5 Expert Tips For Capturing the Geminid Meteor Shower

Taking pictures of meteor showers requires patience—a lot of it. So, before you set off, don’t forget to bring your warmest coat and expect the longest night you’ll ever experience.

That said, with a little luck and these five expert tips, you can certainly increase your chances of getting the clearest shots of the Geminids.

1. Learn the Geminid’s Peak Activity

On a typical night, you’ll probably see around six meteors blazing over your balcony. Those who live away from major cities see these light streaks almost every night.

However, to catch major meteor shower events like the Geminids, you must learn when their peak activity is. Peak activity is when the number of meteors increases as the Earth’s orbit passes through a comet’s debris streams.

The Geminids meteor shower occurs in December, typically between the second and fourth week, the same time as its first appearance in the mid-1800s.

This year (2024), experts expect it to peak on December 14 and 15, per its usual schedule. So, don’t forget to mark those dates on your calendar if you’re set on capturing the Geminids.

2. Choose a Suitable Photography Spot

Of course, knowing when the Geminids meteor shower happens won’t be enough to get a glimpse. You also want to pick the most suitable spot to shoot in your area.

Light pollution is an astrophotographer’s arch-nemesis, so you’ll want to get away from the city to escape the glaring lights blurring the night sky.

Too much artificial light will flood your shots, affecting the quality of your pictures. Not to mention how it makes it harder for the naked eye to see the stars, much less the faint streaks of meteors.

The meteor shower typically starts around 9 PM, so start setting up before this time. During the meteor shower’s peak, you can expect to see hundreds of meteors lining the night sky.

We’d also recommend letting your eyes adapt in the dark for at least 30 minutes beforehand for the best viewing experience.

3. Prepare Your Night Photography Equipment

Credit: Samsung Memory

A wide-angle lens (12–20mm) is your most versatile companion when taking pictures of meteor showers. Designed to cover a wider view of your subject, you’re more likely to capture more meteors in your shots than using a camera with a telephoto lens.

Besides your camera, you’ll want a tripod to stabilize your images.

As you know, night photography requires long exposures. Holding the camera by hand can quickly become shaky and mess with your pictures.

Of course, you can always use anything stable enough to mount your camera on without a tripod. Just be sure to secure it so it doesn’t move during the most crucial moments of the meteor shower.

Here’s a pro tip:

Use your camera’s built-in timer (or a shutter release cable) to start your exposure shots. This trick prevents minor shaking when you press the shutter button.

4. Adjust Your Focus and Exposure Time

The most crucial tip when taking photos of meteor showers is to use suitable camera settings. You can take pictures all night without capturing a thing if you don’t get this part right.

Start by turning off autofocus, as the night sky makes it harder for the camera to find something to focus on. Using the infinity focus is helpful, but we’d suggest taking test shots to be sure and adjust accordingly.

Set the aperture setting to f/2.8 or wider and the ISO to 4000. If you’re using an older camera, select the highest ISO setting available, usually between 1600 and 3200.

Keep the shutter speed between 20 and 25 seconds to have the stars and meteor trails sharp in the finished photographs. This also minimizes the star trails, which your camera can capture as the Earth rotates.

You can use the 500 rule to determine the best shutter speed for your camera. You can do it by dividing 500 by the length of your camera lens. The quotient would be your ideal shutter speed.

Do note that the optimal settings usually vary between locations, so we’d highly recommend experimenting with your camera setup before the meteor shower.

5. Aim Your Camera to the North

Credit: Benh LIEU-SONG from Torcy France, CC-BY-SA-2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

You can’t predict the exact moment or location a meteor will appear, but we do have a general idea of the areas where they’re more likely to show up.

See, meteor showers are often named after the nearest constellation, which is considered their “radiant point.” The Geminids radiant, as you likely guessed, is the “Twins” or the Gemini constellation.

You can find the constellation in the northern hemisphere of the night sky, between the constellations Taurus and Cancer.

So, your best shot at getting the most out of your astrophotography escapade is aiming your camera at these portions of the hemisphere.

But don’t simply let your camera stare at the radiant point, either!

Try angling your camera around the Gemini constellation to get the most action. You’ll also see more meteors “after” the radiant point is well above the night sky.

Here’s a pro tip:

Adjust your camera’s long axis to point to the meteor shower’s radiant point. This way, you can keep the meteor trails inside the frame longer.

Final Thoughts

Meteor showers are some of the most exciting aspects of astrophotography. Witnessing these celestial wonders brightly streaking across the night sky is a most thrilling experience for anyone—old and young.

And now, you know how to photograph the Geminid meteor shower. Use these expert tips and share your love for space and photography in high definition!