A knit hat, warm mittens and a thermos of hot chocolate are all you need to prepare for the incomparable Geminid Meteor Shower, near its peak show Saturday, Dec. 12, at 6 p.m.

"You can look up to the deep skies through Town Creek Indian Mound State Historic Site's 12-inch wide Dobsonian telescope, and viewing will be particularly good this year due to low cast by the new moon," says a spokesman.

The event is free. Registration is strongly suggested by calling (910) 439-6802 or e-mailing towncreek@ncdcr.gov.

The meteor shower gets its name from the Constellation Gemini, named for the twins Castor and Pollux of Greek mythology, since the meteors appear to radiate from that location. In 2007, NASA reported that "scientists have discovered that [Pollux] harbors a hidden, secret planet, three times the size of Jupiter."

Stargazers are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets and personal binoculars and telescopes. This event is the conclusion of the 2009 monthly series of Town Creek Indian Mound astronomy programs. New experiences will begin Jan. 9, with upcoming opportunities to observe the constellations Orion, Taurus, Pleiades, and the planet Mars.

The site is located on Town Creek Mound Road approximately five miles east of Mt. Gilead, in southern Montgomery County between N.C. 73 and N.C. 731.

For more information, visit www.towncreek.nchistoricsites.org.