Weekend Sky Show: How to Catch the Geminid Meteor Spectacle

This weekend, the night sky is set to put on a show with the Geminid meteor shower reaching its peak. This event is a big deal for people who love watching the stars. Expect to see lots of meteors, including some super bright ones called fireballs, lighting up the sky. The best time to watch is from Saturday night to early Sunday morning. If you're in the Northern Hemisphere, look towards the east around 10 p. m. local time. If you're in the Southern Hemisphere, turn your gaze to the northern sky around 2 a. m. The moon will be about a third full, so if the weather is clear, you could see up to 20 meteors per hour from suburban areas. In darker skies, that number could jump to 40 to 50 meteors during the peak times. Some lucky rural viewers might even see a meteor every minute! Early in the evening, you might spot something called Earth-grazers. These meteors are special because they skim the atmosphere and last a bit longer than usual. They're also longer in length, making them easier to see. The Geminids are known for producing fireballs, which are brighter than any stars or planets and often colorful. This meteor shower is also a great chance for photographers. Since the Geminids move slower than other showers like the Perseids and Leonids, they show up better in long-exposure photos. If you have a camera, set the shutter speed between 15 and 30 seconds and keep shooting all night. If you miss the peak on Saturday, don't worry. The Geminids will still be visible in the days before and after the peak. However, it's better to watch a day or two before the peak because the number of meteors drops off quickly after the maximum activity. The Geminids come from debris released by the asteroid 3200 Phaethon. As this asteroid orbits close to the sun, it sheds particles due to the intense heat, creating a trail of meteors. Earth passes through this debris trail every year, resulting in the Geminid meteor shower. The meteors appear to come from the direction of the Gemini constellation, which is visible all night long. After the Geminids, the next meteor shower of the year will be the Ursids, peaking on the night of December 21 into the early morning of December 22. The moon will be barely visible, making for perfect viewing conditions. This shower peaks during the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, giving stargazers plenty of time to enjoy the show.

Actions