Geminid Meteor Shower
- 13th Dec 2016
- Author: Tamela Maciel
Geminids
This week, the Geminids peak on the night of the 13th and morning of the 14th December 2016. This king of the meteor showers typically produces 120 meteors an hour, but this year a full Moon will obscure much of the shower. Expect visible rates closer to 40 meteors an hour – still not bad!
The Geminids are caused by the Earth passing through the debris left behind by asteroid 3200 Phaethon. Exactly how this rocky asteroid produces enough debris to create the Geminids is still a mystery. Most meteor showers are caused by debris shed by the tails of comets, but asteroid 3200 Phaethon doesn’t have a tail nor appear to shed much debris, even when it’s close to the Sun.
Nevertheless the debris is there and as it hits Earth’s atmosphere at high speed, it heats up and disintegrates in flashes of light that we call meteors.
The Geminids are normally the most intense meteor shower of the year, producing up to 120 meteors an hour.
Unfortunately this year the nearly full Moon will block many of the fainter Geminids. Still, if the night of the 13th-14th is clear, it’s worth scanning the sky between 10pm and dawn. Even with the Moon, visible rates are expected to be around 40 meteors an hour.
How to Watch
The Geminids are named after the constellation Gemini as this is the direction from which they appear to originate. After 8pm, you’ll find Gemini rising above the eastern sky. While the meteors appear to originate from Gemini, they are best seen 30 degrees away from origin, so be sure to keep careful watch across the whole sky.
To view the Geminids from the UK, head outside anytime between 10pm and dawn.
Look up, keep an eye on the whole sky, and find a location as far from city lights as you can.
The Geminids are active between 7 December and 17 December 2016. So if it’s cloudy on the 13th and 14th, you can always try again on a nearby day.
Meteor Infographic
Download our National Space Centre Meteor Shower Guide to make sure you are fully prepared to watch the Geminids!
Other upcoming meteor showers for 2016 include:
Ursids
Comet of Origin: 8P/Tuttle
Radiant: constellation Ursa Minor
Active: Dec. 17-23, 2016
Peak Activity: Dec. 21-22, 2016
Peak Activity Meteor Count: 10 meteors per hour
Notes: The Ursids are a minor meteor shower radiating from the constellation Ursa Minor. This year the second quarter moon will block many of the fainter meteors.
