The night of December 13-14 will be favorable for observing the Geminid meteor shower: the Moon will be only half illuminated - 26%, which will not prevent you from seeing bright flashes in the sky. This was reported by the press service of the Moscow Planetarium.
The Geminids are active from December 4 to 17, and the peak of the stream is expected on December 14 at 11:00 Moscow time. The radiant, the point in the sky from which meteors appear to fly out, is located near the bright star Castor in the constellation Gemini. For observations, it is recommended to go out of town, to places with open, clear skies, away from the lights of megacities.
The best viewing conditions occur after midnight, when the radiant rises highest above the horizon. For the northern regions, the radiant becomes available in the early evening. Astronomers predict up to 120 meteors per hour, which will be visible above the southern horizon throughout the night.
The Geminids originate from the remnants of asteroid 3200 Phaeton and are considered one of the brightest and most active meteor showers of the year, making them especially attractive to astronomy enthusiasts.
Read more materials on the topic:
- Joint work of the USA and Russia helped to reveal the secret of the Geminid meteor shower
- Starfall in the porthole: Astrotourists will be able to see the meteor shower up close
- Up to 120 "falling stars" per hour: the peak of the Geminid meteor shower will occur on the night of December 14
