Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
December is a busy month between the holiday season, Winter solstice and Sometimes the aurora borealis. It also hosts one of the best meteor showers of the year, with the Geminids. This often underrated meteor shower does not receive attention Which is caused by the Perseid meteor showerbut it often rains just as many meteors if you’re willing to brave the cold to go out and see them.
Don’t miss any of our unbiased technical content and lab reviews. Add CNET As Google’s preferred source.
The Geminids, known for their bright, colorful stars, began the show on Thursday and will end on December 17. It’s not the longest lasting meteor shower, but don’t let its short length fool you. It has one of the most active peaks of any meteor shower, and is capable of dropping more than 100 meteors per hour in a good year, according to American Meteor Society. The Geminid meteor shower will reach its peak on Saturday evening.
It reaches Earth thanks to asteroid Phaethon 3200. This is unusual because most meteor showers are fed by comets, which tend to have tails made of ice, dust and rock. Asteroids are made of rocks and metals, and usually do not have tails. This makes the tail of the 3200 Phaethon unique. The only other major meteor shower that is fed by an asteroid rather than a comet is the Quadrantids meteor shower in January. The rest is fed by comets.
NASA captured a composite image of Gemini in 2014, which included more than 100 meteors during its peak.
How and where to see the Geminids
The Geminid meteor shower will reach its peak on Saturday evening. During its peak, the AMS says it could shoot up to 150 meteors per hour, although NASA expects It rains frequently, with 40 to 50 meteors per hour, peaking on Friday. For best results, we recommend going out on both nights, just in case.
Like all named meteor showers, Gemini’s name is a clue to where to find it. As for the radiant point, which is the point from which meteors will appear, it is located in the constellation Gemini. According to Stellarium’s sky map, Gemini will rise from the eastern sky just after sunset in the Northern Hemisphere. It will be accompanied by Jupiter, so if you can find Jupiter, you are looking in the right place. Gemini will streak across the sky before ending up on the western horizon at sunrise.
For best results, the usual Skygazing rules apply. People in the city probably won’t see any meteors, while suburbanites might see just one or two. The ultimate viewing experience occurs when you leave the big city to escape light pollution. Then all you have to do is face Gemini and Jupiter and wait. It may take your eyes upwards of 30 minutes to adjust to the dark, so patience is a virtue.
As with most meteor showers, you won’t need any special equipment, and experts recommend against using any. Binoculars and telescopes limit how much of the sky you can see, which may result in not seeing the meteor. The Moon, a common source of light pollution when looking at the sky, will only be 30% full, meaning it is unlikely to prevent the meteor shower from being seen.
Michelle Nichols, director of public observation at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, Also recommend Dress warmer than you think you’ll need, because you’ll be outside for a while. She also recommends abstaining from alcohol because it may cause you to lose heat faster. This is especially important if you live in the northeastern United States, where… Another polar vortex It will lead to lower temperatures. Make sure to dress appropriately and stay safe.