Space rock enthusiasts across the Northern Hemisphere should get a pretty good show from the Geminid meteor shower tonight. The shower will be at its best overnight from Friday, December 13 into early Saturday, December 14. The Geminids are one of the best annual showers, so bundle up, grab a hot beverage, and go see some meteors.
The meteor shower’s prime viewing time should run from 13:00 UT December 13 to 10:00 UT December 14. Its peak should come at some time around 2:00 UT (9PM EST) with meteors falling at a rate of 1 to 2 per minute, but with less than ideal conditions and a fairly bright moon, the average observer won’t see nearly that many.
The Geminids originate from the constellation Gemini, but they can appear anywhere in the sky with a trail pointing back to their origin, so try to block out the moon the best you can and keep your eyes peeled.
(via Universe Today, image via Henry Lee)
- These new images of the sun are also a pretty great sight
- So is the trailer for In Saturn’s Rings, an animated movie of real space photos
- So is this video of the Earth and the moon from Juno spacecraft
Published: Dec 13, 2013 11:49 am