The Geminid Meteor shower is in full swing from December 4th to the 20th and will peak overnight on Saturday December 13th.
The celestial phenomenon was first sighted from a Mississippi River boat around 1833 and was noticed again in 1862, although back then the shower was not as spectacular as it is these days. Thatâs because the Geminid meteors originate from asteroid 3200 Phaeton which was destroyed during a catastrophic event. Thanks to Jupiterâs magnetic pull, the debris from this event is coming closer and is therefore more easily visible. Whereas 50 meteors an hour would have been the norm several decades ago, nowadays meteor sightings are closer to 120 per hour.Â
As Earth passes through a denser part of Phaetonâs debris trail, the Geminid meteor shower has become one of the most recognized annual astronomical events and is known for bright, often yellow meteors and fireballs. The Geminids are active each year between December 4th and 20th and the peak time this year is overnight on December 13th. The Moon will not interfere with sightings as it will be in its last quarter, although it will rise about 2:00 a.m..
Between 10:00 and 11:00 p.m. go outside and lay down on your back to gaze up at the Eastern night sky. Make sure to be dressed warmly. Allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness for several minutes; avoid your phone screen. Look everywhere, because the Geminids race across the whole sky, but can be traced back to the constellation Gemini which verifies that they are Geminids. Emanating from the asteroid Phaeton makes this one of the only showers, along with the Quadrantids, not originating from a comet.
