The night sky will be lit up by a spectacular celestial spectacle this week, as the Geminids meteor shower reaches its peak on the night of Wednesday, Dec. 13, into the early morning of Thursday, Dec. 14. The Geminids are one of the most consistent and prolific meteor showers of the year, producing up to 120 meteors per hour at their peak.
Most major meteor showers can only be seen during the second half of the night, but people who step outside on Wednesday evening may begin to see meteors not long after nightfall.
“This is the one major shower that provides good activity prior to midnight,” the American Meteor Society explained on its website.
The Geminids originate from the debris of an unusual asteroid named 3200 Phaethon, which behaves more like a comet than a typical asteroid. Unlike most meteor showers, which are caused by the Earth passing through the dust trail of a comet, the Geminids result from the Earth colliding with the rocky fragments that have broken off from 3200 Phaethon over thousands of years.
Scientists are not sure how 3200 Phaethon came to be so different from other asteroids, but they suspect that some violent event, such as a collision with another space object, caused it to shed its material. The asteroid was first discovered in 1983, and later found to be the source of the Geminids, which have been observed since the 19th century.
The Geminids are named after the constellation Gemini, from which they appear to radiate. However, they can be seen all over the sky, especially in the northern hemisphere. The best time to watch them is during the night and predawn hours, when the sky is dark and clear. This year, the conditions are favorable, as the moon will be in a thin crescent phase, setting early in the evening and leaving the sky moonless for most of the night.
The Geminids are also known for their variety of colors, depending on the chemical composition of the meteors. Some of them may appear green, yellow, blue, or red as they burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere. “Most meteors appear to be colorless or white, however the Geminids appear with a greenish hue,” said a NASA astronomer.
While the Geminids may not be as popular as the summertime Perseids, they are certainly worth braving the cold winter nights for. As the NASA astronomer put it, “They’re pretty meteors.”
Relevant articles:
– Tonight: The Geminids peak with over 100 meteors per hour
– Geminids meteor shower will light up night skies Wednesday & Thursday
– How best to observe Geminids meteor shower this week
– Geminids meteor shower peaks this week with ideal conditions, NASA officials say