Geminid Meteor Shower Viewing Guide

Every December, astronomy enthusiasts look forward to the biggest meteor shower of the year – the Geminids, due to the dense frequency and brightness of the Geminids meteors. Specifically, with your companions to admire the meteor in the cold winter, it will become very hot under the countless bright stars.

The Geminid (Gemini) meteor shower is always one of the favorite annual meteor showers, expected to peak Monday evening December 13 through Tuesday morning December 14. The Geminid meteor shower is well visible around 2am (local time) when the sky is quite dark. This year, the Moon will be above the horizon during the peak of the meteor shower, but will set soon after, leaving an ideally dark sky. Therefore, the best time to observe the Geminids in 2021 is before dusk, around 1 a.m. before dawn on December 14.

Photo: Meteor shower affected by moonlight, Juan Carlos Casado (TWAN)

Insight:

– Origin: Comet 3200 Phaethon

– Peak: The night of December 13 – the morning of December 14

– Frequency: 150 meteors/hour at peak times

– Source: Star of Castor, constellation Gemini

You can also try observing the meteor shower with moonlight. Geminid meteors are usually sharp, white, and cross the sky fairly quickly. Although moonlight affects visibility, the brightest meteors can still be seen. The Geminids are the remnants of a rocky comet called 3200 Phaethon. Scientists believe that sodium flowing from the surface causes 3200 Phaethon to act like a comet. OLDIts debris fell into the Earth’s atmosphere at a speed of about 130,000 km/h, then evaporated into countless colorful Geminid meteorites.

At night near the top, you can catch 50 or more meteors in an hour. This number can go up to 150 per hour when the weather conditions are ideal. The December 4 new moon means that the maximum will coincide with the high moon at the beginning of the month. On the evening of the 13th, the surface of the Moon is 77% brighter and it will appear on the horizon at nightfall. It will then move gradually westward, passing through Pisces (Pisces) and dipping around 1am. Therefore, the best viewing time is after midnight until dawn.

6 tips for watching the Geminid meteor shower

The most important thing when you really want to observe the meteor shower is to choose a place with dark skies and open space, of course, check the weather when planning.

Rush hour is around 2am. In 2021, the Moon is present in the sky all night, observe after 1am.

It would be great if you had a companion to watch the meteor shower. You two can observe in many directions. When a person sees a shooting star, shout “It’s a meteor!”. This helps you see more streaks when looking alone.

Make sure the minimum viewing time is 1 hour. It will take about 20 minutes for your eyes to get used to the darkness.

Remember that flat stars often appear in waves, of course there are quiet periods.

You don’t need any special equipment, just a sleeping bag to warm you up. Lie down in a hammock, some grass, or spread a blanket on the ground. Keep your back relaxed and look up. Shooting stars will shine in the sky.

Here’s what you need to know to prepare for a successful shadowing session. I wish you many wishes with Geminids!

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