Year’s Strongest Meteor Shower Has Begun: When To See The Geminids At Their Best

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The Geminids meteor shower is considered one of the best annual meteor showers. It occurs every year from about December 4 to 16, peaking the night of December 13 into the morning of December 14. The best time to observe the Geminids meteor shower is midnight 12:00 am to 5 am on its peak. 

Here are some tips for viewing the Geminids: 

  • Be patient 
  • Look at the stars of Orion, Gemini and Taurus 
  • Don’t look at your smartphone 
  • Don’t use binoculars or a telescope 
  • Bring a comfy chair to sit on 
  • Wrap up warm 
  • Go somewhere dark, away from city lights 
  • Have a clear view that isn’t blocked by trees or buildings 

The Geminids are supposed to produce approximately 120 meteors per hour

The Geminids, the northern hemisphere’s most spectacular meteor shower of the year, has begun. The only annual meteor shower caused by an asteroid rather than a comet, the Geminids run from November 19 through December 24this year, peaking overnight on Wednesday, December 13 through Thursday, December 14.

In general, meteor showers are best viewed when the sky is darkest, which is after midnight but before sunrise. The radiant is highest just before dawn. 

Here are some other tips for viewing meteor showers: 

  • Wait 30 to 45 minutes after arriving at your viewing location to allow your eyes to adjust to the dark. 
  • Lay back and take in a large swath of the night sky. 
  • Lay down with your feet pointed east. 
  • Get as far away from city lights as possible.

To watch the Geminid meteor shower peak, you can: 

  1. Find a dark, open sky 
  2. Look for the Gemini constellation 
  3. Let your eyes adjust to the dark 
  4. Take in as much sky as possible 

The Geminids appear to originate from the Gemini constellation, which is located northeast of Orion. To find Gemini, look for Orion’s three-star belt, and then look for Gemini’s two bright stars, Castor and Pollux. 

You can use an interactive sky map application on your phone to help you find Gemini.

The best place to start watching a meteor shower is between the radiant and the zenith. The radiant is the point in the sky where the meteors seem to originate. 

The Geminid meteor shower’s radiant point is highest in the sky around 2 AM. The higher the Gemini constellation climbs into the sky, the more meteors you’re likely to see. 

NASA recommends lying on your back with your feet facing south. However, meteors will appear across the whole sky. The easiest ones to see won’t be near Gemin

Geminid meteors are bright, fast, and yellow.They can also be white, green, red, and blue. They appear to come from the constellation Gemini, but they can appear anywhere in the night sky. 

The Geminids are the result of the asteroid 3200 Phaethon, which is a blue rock that acts like a comet. 

The Geminids meteor shower is the most active shower of the year. During the peak, you can expect to see an average of 75 meteors per hour. However, the full number of 120 meteors is only visible in “perfect conditions”. In reality, the actual number visible is far less due to light pollution and other factors. 

The Geminids were first observed in 1862. In the 1830s, rates were about 30 meteors per hour. Now, well over 100 appear per hour.

Yes, the Geminid meteor shower happens every year. It’s considered one of the most reliable and consistent annual meteor showers. 

The Geminids occur when Earth passes through the debris trail of the asteroid 3200 Phaethon. The debris collides with Earth’s atmosphere and disintegrates, creating streaks in the sky. The Geminids disintegrate at heights above 24 miles. 

The Geminids first appeared in the mid-1800s. They’re thought to be intensifying every year. In 2023, the Geminids will peak on the nights of December 13 and 14. 

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