A single bright meteor from the Geminid meteor shower of December 2017. (Photo by: VW … [+]
The moon's brightness may dim it a bit this year, but it's worth keeping an eye out for “shooting stars” during the peak of this weekend's strongest annual meteor shower – and the only one from the remnants of an asteroid.
Here's everything you need to know about the Geminid meteor shower in 2024.
When is the Geminid meteor shower coming?
The Geminid meteor shower extends from November 19th to December 24th, with peak activity occurring on Friday, December 13th until the early hours of Saturday, December 14th. This is the night to aim for, although the few nights on either side should also be good if the skies are clear.
“The best time to observe the Geminid meteor shower is around 2 a.m. local time, when the radiation point is highest in the sky,” said Shyam Balaji, a researcher in astroparticle physics and cosmology at King's College London, in an email. Then you are on the night side of the Earth as it travels head-on through the meteor shower cloud. “However, you can start watching from midnight,” Balaji said.
Up to 120 “shooting stars” per hour can be visible, although the presence of a nearly full moon may make them more difficult to see, but Geminds can be bright and intensely colored, according to the American Meteor Society. You may even see a multi-colored “Earth Grazer” fireball, a very bright meteor that briefly enters Earth's atmosphere and then leaves it again.
A meteor (L) from the Geminid meteor shower enters Earth's atmosphere past the stars Castor and … [+]
Geminids: Where to Look
Gemini is so named because it always seems to come from the area of the night sky where the constellation Gemini is located. “Look towards the constellation Gemini, where the meteors appear to originate,” Balaji said. “The bright spot is near the bright star Castor in Gemini.”
At this time of year, Gemini is in the upper left of Orion (look for Orion's three-star belt). Although they all appear to come from Gemini, shooting stars can appear anywhere in the night sky. The best advice is to generally face east, about halfway up the sky, and avoid using your smartphone, as this will both distract you and affect your night vision.
What causes the Geminids?
A shooting star is formed when dust collides with the Earth's atmosphere. It heats up and glows for a split second as it releases heat as light. Geminid meteors are caused by dust and debris left behind in the inner solar system, not by a comet – as meteor showers typically do – but by an asteroid called 3200 Phaethon, which speeds through the solar system every 18 months.
“The unusual colors of the Geminid meteoroids are due to the presence of various metals in the meteoroids, such as sodium and calcium,” Balaji said. “These elements burn up in Earth’s atmosphere, creating bright and colorful streaks.”
The Geminids are currently becoming more productive every year, thanks to the gravitational pull of the giant planet Jupiter on 3200 Phaethon's debris flow, bringing it closer to Earth's orbit around the Sun.
I wish you clear skies and big eyes.
