The Geminid Meteor Shower Peaks Tonight

The Geminid meteor shower happens each and every year like clockwork when our planet passes through the rocky, icy debris field left behind by a space object named 3200 Phaethon. This meteor shower is well known for its bright display of brilliant, bright meteors, and it is considered one of the busiest, best and most reliable meteor showers of the year.

Some major points about the Geminid meteor shower:

Origin: Unlike other meteor showers, which are caused by the Earth's orbit running into the debris field of comets, the Geminids are theorized to be associated with an asteroid-like object named 3200 Phaethon. This space object was discovered in 1983 and has characteristics of both asteroids and comets, sort of a strange hybrid object that went through our solar system a long time ago.

Peak Activity: The Geminids always peak around mid-December, with the best opportunities for viewing the "shooting stars" occurring after sunset on December 14th into the late night hours and predawn hours of December 15th. However, the shower can be visible when it is dark both a few days before and after the peak viewing day.

Radiant Point: This meteor shower appears to our eyes on Earth to originate from the constellation Gemini, hence the name "Geminid Meteor Shower." The radiant point is defined as the point in the sky from which the meteors appear to emerge from.

Intensity: The Geminids are known for being easily visible thanks to how bright and intense they are, with plenty of bright, fireball-type meteors compared to other meteor showers. This makes them an enjoyable experience due to how easily they are able to be seen for both the novice and advanced astronomer.

Visibility: The Geminids are visible all over the globe with this meteor shower best scene in areas with dark skies away from the light pollution due to urban and suburban locales.

Meteor Velocity: The Geminids are sluggish compared to other meteor showers, with an average speed of around 22 miles per second (35 km/s).

The best way to view the Geminid meteor shower is to find a dark sky location, away from light pollution from cities and their associated suburban sprawl. Make sure to give your eyes some time to adjust to the darkness and look towards the constellation Gemini. This is an astronomical event that can be enjoyed with the naked eye, although a comfortable chair, a warm beverage and winter clothing can't hurt in making your viewing experience pleasant.

(Image by zjxte from pixabay)