Geminid meteor shower 2023: How to see the spectacular show late tonight

The height of the Geminid meteor bathe, very early on the morning of 14 December, is anticipated to dazzle this yr. The bathe began on 19 November and can finish on 24 December, however preserve an eye fixed out over the approaching days as a result of exercise is ramping up.

What are meteor showers?

Meteors are vibrant flashes of sunshine that transfer rapidly throughout the sky. They’re brought on by items of mud and particles from house coming into the environment, the place they decelerate and expend. This occurs every now and then and may happen at any time. On a given night time of stargazing, you may see a few meteors each hour. Meteor showers are intervals in which there’s a notable improve within the variety of meteors, brought on by Earth transferring via a path of particles left behind by a comet or asteroid. Due to this, they have an inclination to occur across the similar time annually, as the identical particles trails are encountered time and again.

What’s the Geminid meteor bathe?

The Geminids aren’t brought on by a comet, as most meteor showers are, however by an asteroid called 3200 Phaethon. However that is an uncommon asteroid, with a comet-like vapour tail that puzzled astronomers for some time. In 2021, NASA instructed it is likely to be brought on by sodium “fizzing” on its floor.

How do I watch the Geminids?

No particular gear is required to observe the Geminids, only a clear sky. This yr shall be notably good, as a brand new moon on 12 December means there shall be little or no moonlight, making it simpler to see the bathe in opposition to the night time sky. The Geminids have been recognized to supply as much as 150 meteors per hour in darkish skies. You’re unlikely to see that many, particularly if you’re someplace with gentle air pollution, however it’s price watching wherever you might be. Even only a few are lovely to behold.

How do I discover Gemini?

Like all meteor showers, the Geminids are named after the constellation they seem to return from within the sky – on this case, Gemini. You don’t have to seek out Gemini to see the meteors, as they are going to journey throughout the sky. However if you wish to, Gemini is simple to establish due to its two vibrant stars, Castor and Pollux.

First, discover Orion and search for its two brightest stars, Rigel and Betelgeuse. Betelgeuse is a reddish star within the prime left of Orion when seen from the northern hemisphere, or its backside proper when seen from the southern hemisphere. The blue-white Rigel is on the backside proper of Orion within the northern hemisphere, however on the prime left within the southern hemisphere.

To seek out Gemini, draw a line from Rigel to Betelgeuse, then preserve that line going about the identical distance once more to seek out two vibrant stars shut to one another: these are Castor and Pollux. That is the place the Geminids will seem to return from.