Get ready for a celestial spectacle as one of the year’s biggest meteor showers, the Geminids, streaks across the night sky this week.
Known for its dazzling display of up to 150 meteors per hour, this major event promises a breathtaking show as meteors blaze through the atmosphere at speeds of up to 70 kilometers per second.
And the great thing is you don’t need any special equipment to see the meteor shower.
All you have to do is find the darkest place and settle in to allow 30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the darkness.
Locate the Gemini constellation, but don’t stare directly at it. Instead, relax your gaze and take in the constellations around Gemini – meteors further from their radiant are brighter and have longer trains.
What is the Geminid meteor shower?
Unlike most meteor showers, the Geminids do not originate from a comet, but from an asteroid called 3200 Phaethon.
It was first observed in 1862, much later than other meteor showers like the Perseids (36 AD) and the Leonids (902 AD). Considered the most consistent and active shower, the Geminids produce up to 120 to 160 meteors at its peak.
When can you see the Geminid meteor shower?
The Geminid meteor shower is active between November 24 and December 24. However, the best time to see it is during its peak on December 13 and 14.
What time is best to see the Geminid meteor shower?
Be in position by 2 am local time, when the shower’s radiant (the constellation it appears to emanate from) is at its highest point in the sky.
This year, the meteor shower’s peak coincides with a 90% illuminated waxing gibbous moon, so do check your local moonrise times – the lesser the moonlight, the higher your chance of seeing the Geminid meteor shower in its full glory.
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