Probably the most dependable meteor showers to gentle up our night time sky every year begins tonight.
The annual Geminid meteor bathe runs from Nov. 19 by means of Dec. 24, with the height coming in a single day on Dec. 13-14, in keeping with the American Meteor Society. Throughout the peak, over 100 Geminid meteors might be seen per hour beneath the suitable situations. The Geminids are considerably uncommon in that they’re produced by particles from an asteroid, referred to as 3200 Phaeton. Most different meteor showers, then again, are produced by the leftover bits of comets.
The Geminids are among the best and most dependable annual meteor showers, in keeping with NASA, making the subsequent month among the best occasions to get out at night time and catch a glimpse of one in every of these “taking pictures stars.” Need to see the Geminids for your self? Here is what you should know.
Invoice Cooke is a NASA astronomer who leads the company’s Meteoroid Surroundings Workplace on the Marshall Area Flight Heart in Huntsville, Alabama. Cooke beforehand instructed Area.com that the Geminids are one of many prime three meteor showers to look out for in 2024.
Nonetheless, a brilliant waxing gibbous moon might be simply above the twins of Gemini on Dec. 13, which is able to intrude with the height of this bathe. Nonetheless, even whereas the moon lights the night time sky, a lot of brilliant meteors ought to be seen in the course of the peak.
As their title implies, the Geminid meteor bathe originates from the Gemini constellation. Gemini stays seen all through the night time for the northern hemisphere over the subsequent month, simply above the raised arm of the Orion constellation.
For those who aren’t accustomed to the Gemini constellation, now could be the proper time to search for its two most distinctive stars: Castor and Pollux, referred to as the “twins” of Gemini. For those who need assistance finding it, you can all the time use a stargazing app.
The constellation is most frequently depicted as a pair of brothers holding fingers or putting their fingers on each other’s shoulders. In keeping with Greek mythology, Castor and Pollux have been the dual sons of Leda, Queen of Sparta. Castor was the son of Tyndareus, king of Sparta, whereas Pollux was the son of the highly effective god Zeus.
After the mortal Castor fell in battle, Pollux prayed to Zeus to make his brother immortal. The one method this could possibly be finished would require Pollux to surrender his immortality, so Zeus remodeled the pair into the celebrities we now see within the night time sky.
To maximise your probabilities of seeing Geminid meteors, you should discover a place that’s as darkish as doable and free from main sources of sunshine air pollution.
As a result of it is winter, you will wish to gown for the chilly and possibly even deliver a blanket or sizzling beverage. Get a snug seat, ideally permitting you to lie again so far as doable with a view to soak up as a lot of the night time sky as doable, and align your self so that you simply face the course of the Gemini constellation (it can fluctuate relying in your location).
Be affected person, and you should definitely give your eyes time to regulate to the darkish. With a little bit of persistence and luck, you must have the ability to catch sight of some ‘taking pictures stars’ this yr in the course of the Geminid meteor bathe.
If you wish to strive your hand at capturing the Geminids on digicam, we may also help. Take a look at our how one can {photograph} meteors and meteor showers information and for those who want imaging gear, think about our greatest cameras for astrophotography and greatest lenses for astrophotography.
Editor’s observe: For those who seize an incredible view of the Geminid meteor bathe or every other night time sky view that you simply wish to share with Area.com for a doable story or gallery, ship pictures and feedback to: spacephotos@house.com.
