This week, keep an eye out for the Geminid meteor shower. On December evenings, meteors erupt around the bright star Castor in the constellation Gemini in the east, peaking around 2 a.m. local time (time on your clock for all parts of the globe). During the peak in 2022, a waning gibbous will wash away the meteors.
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I’m looking for Geminid meteors in whatever direction.
Every year in December, the Geminids meteor shower occurs. Dec. 13 into the early hours of Dec. 14 is the ideal night to witness the shower. A stream of debris left by the asteroid 3200 Phaethon causes the Geminid meteor shower. The Geminid meteor shower occurs in December as the Earth travels through the dust trails left by 3200 Phaethon, when the particles (meteoroids) burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere, creating meteors. Geminids fly at 78,000 mph through Earth’s atmosphere before exploding well above the surface.
If the sky is clear, move away from bright lights, lie down, and look up to see the Geminids. Allow your eyes to acclimate to the darkness; this will allow you to see more meteors. Meteors can be seen all across the sky, so don’t focus your gaze in one direction. Because the shower falls on the same night as a full (super) moon this year, observing it will be more challenging. Try to trace a meteor backwards if you spot one. There’s a strong probability you’ve seen a Geminid if you find yourself in the constellation Gemini.
The Geminid meteor shower can be observed by most of the world in good weather and dark skies, while it is best visible by watchers in the northern hemisphere. The bright moon this year will wash out all but the brightest Geminids, drastically limiting the rate at which you can view them. At the peak of the shower in the northern hemisphere, you can expect to see one Geminid every few minutes under dark sky. Because the Geminid radiant does not rise very high above the horizon in the southern hemisphere, observers will see fewer Geminids than their northern counterparts. The usual peak will be missed by much of North America, but because the Geminid activity is so widespread, decent rates will be observed between 10:30 p.m. on Dec. 13 and daybreak local time on Dec. 14. On Dec. 14, the most meteors should be visible around 2:00 a.m. local time.
Engineers and scientists from NASA’s Meteor Environment Office at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center will answer questions about the Geminids at a Reddit Ask Me Anything session at 2 p.m. CT/3 p.m. ET.
If you live in a cloudy region, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center will livestream footage of the shower starting at 8 p.m. on Dec. 13 until 6 a.m. on Dec. 14 on Marshall’s Ustream account (pending clear skies here). Geminid meteors can also be seen on NASA’s All Sky Fireball network page. For information on meteor showers and fireballs throughout the year, like NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office on Facebook.
In which direction should I gaze to catch a glimpse of the meteor shower?
On Monday night and early Tuesday morning, Earth will pass through the debris trail of a shattered comet. It’s possible that a new meteor shower will form as a result.
Night sky viewers in North America have the best chance of viewing the tau Herculid shower, with NASA recommended looking up around 1 a.m. on the East Coast and 10 p.m. on the West Coast. There will be no moonlight to conceal the meteors because the moon is young.
Is a meteor shower expected in December 2020?
From December 13 to 14, the famous Geminid meteor shower will peak, scattering brilliant stars throughout the sky. However, astronomy experts warn that viewing may be difficult because the peak occurs before the full moon.
The Geminid meteor shower, considered one of the best and most reliable annual meteor showers, will be active until December 17 and peak on the night of December 13 into the morning of December 14, according to NASA, which is also the ideal time for meteor shower watching this year.
Because the moonlight “washes out” the fainter meteors, sky watchers see fewer bright ones, the phase of the moon is a crucial factor in deciding whether a meteor shower will have good rates during any particular year.
On the night of the peak, skywatchers can view up to 150 meteors per hour when there is no interference from moonlight. The peak of the shower, however, corresponds with a moon that will be almost 80% full and already above the horizon as darkness falls on the evening of December 13 due to the new moon on December 4.
Nonetheless, the full moon will set about 3 to 4 a.m. local time, allowing a couple of hours of darkness before sunrise for ideal meteor viewing.
The Geminids are created by debris from 3200 Phaethon, a near-Earth asteroid.
Every year in mid-December, Earth collides with Phaethon’s debris stream, producing meteors to fly in the direction of the constellation Gemini, hence the name “Geminids.”
The Geminids may be observed by almost everyone on the planet. Observers in the northern hemisphere, however, have the best chance of seeing it.
For watchers in the northern hemisphere, the expected rate is closer to 30 to 40 meteors each hour. According to NASA, observers in the southern hemisphere will see fewer Geminids than those in the northern hemisphere, maybe 25% of the rates seen in the northern hemisphere.
1. Look for a dark, unobstructed sky with minimal light pollution. Observers in cities may glimpse a few more over the night.
2. Geminid meteors are bright, white, and fast. The brightest ones will outshine the moonlight.
3. Allow for at least one hour of observation time. Human eyes need roughly 20 minutes to adjust to the dark.
4. Dress warmly and carry a thermos filled with a hot beverage to survive the cold December night!
Although the viewing circumstances for the Geminid meteor shower aren’t ideal this year, it will still be an excellent opportunity for astrophotographers to capture the night sky.
Where can I find Geminids in the sky?
Look for the constellation Orion, the hunter (opens in new tab) in the southwestern sky to discover Gemini in the Northern Hemisphere. The three stars on the hunter’s “belt” make it simple to spot. Then, slightly above and to the left of Orion, seek for Gemini, which is high in the southwest sky.
When is the best time to observe tonight’s meteor shower?
Fortunately for Americans, the shower is more noticeable in the Northern Hemisphere. It does, however, necessitate staying up late and having a clear view of the sky.
Showers are most evident at 2 a.m. local time, but they can appear as early as 9 p.m. It is visible till just before sunrise.
If staying up late every night just to view the shower isn’t your thing, you might choose to wait until the peak. From Aug. 11 to 13, the night sky will be filled with up to 100 meteors per hour.
The moon’s illumination made it difficult for many to see the showers last year. This year will be better because the moon is waxing crescent and will be during the peak period, which means there won’t be as much light to compete with the meteors.
Is it possible to view Halley’s Comet tonight?
When will Halley’s Comet make another appearance? Halley’s Comet was last observed in April 1986 and will return in 2061, as part of its 76-year orbit.
When is the ideal time to look for meteor showers?
Between 17 July and 24 August 2022, the Perseid meteor shower will be active, with the number of meteors growing every night until it reaches a peak in mid-August, after which it will fade away. This year’s peak occurs on the night of August 12th and just before daybreak on August 13th.
Unfortunately, this year’s peak coincides with the full Moon, resulting in exceptionally poor lighting conditions. The darker the sky is when looking for meteors, the better.
There were a lot of bright, rapid meteors with trains. Swift-Tuttle Comet is linked to (1737, 1862, 1992)
What time is best to see the Perseid meteor shower?
When the sky is darkest and the target is at its highest point in the sky, it is the greatest moment to see anything in the night sky. This normally happens between midnight and the very early hours of the morning for meteor showers.
midnight 05:30am
As seen from the UK, the radiant of the Perseids is always above the horizon, thus watchers in the UK should be able to see some meteors as soon as the Sun sets. As a result, it is worthwhile to glance up in the early evening.
It is usually preferable to try to identify meteors when the Moon is below the horizon or in its crescent phase, because otherwise the Moon would function as natural light pollution, obscuring the fainter meteors.
In 2021, will there be an asteroid?
The center keeps track of near-Earth objects for the global asteroid community so that when they get close, astronomers can see where they are and how they travel.
Asteroid 2021 TJ15, which will pass the Earth on Saturday at the same distance as the moon, or 238,854 miles, is one of the closest encounters.
“The asteroid’s diameter ranges from 5.6 to 13 meters (18 to 42 feet). That’s a little asteroid approaching the moon’s distance. It’s still a long distance away, and there’s no way it could impact the Earth “Chodas remarked.
Asteroid 2004 UE, which is roughly the size of the Empire State Building at 1,246 feet, will make a close encounter to Earth on November 13 at a distance of 2.6 million miles.
