Geminid

Northern Lights, or aurora borealis, haunted skies over the island of Kvaløya, near Tromsø Norway on December 13, 2009. This 30-second long exposure records their shimmering glow gently lighting the wintery coastal scene. A study in contrasts, it also captures the sudden flash of a fireball meteor from December’s excellent Geminid meteor shower. Streaking past familiar stars in the handle of the Big Dipper, the trail points back toward the constellation Gemini, off the top of the view. Both aurora and meteors occur in…

This December, skywatchers can enjoy the Geminid meteor shower, peaking on the night of December 13th, and the opportunity to observe asteroid Vesta, especially when it’s at opposition. The Moon will also align with planets like Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter on specific dates. Credit: SciTechDaily.com What are some skywatching highlights in December 2023? Clear skies will make for ideal viewing of the Geminid meteor shower, and grab your binoculars to search for asteroid Vesta. Vesta at Opposition and Geminid Meteors! The…

The year 2023 has given stargazers some breathtaking views of the night sky with northern lights, meteor showers, comets, and more. However, the year has not ended and there is still more to come. The Geminid meteor shower has finally begun and it will reach its peak soon, enabling skygazers to witness the cosmic event up close. The meteor shower is expected to peak in mid-December. Know the date and how to catch the meteor shower among other details below:About Geminid meteor showerAccording to a NASA report, the…

The sky is falling—twice!Two of the more interesting meteor showers will occur as the year draws to a close: the Leonid and the Geminid showers, both of which put on a great show. Better yet, for both showers, the thin new crescent moon will slip below the horizon shortly after sunset, ushering in darker nights for better viewing.To see the Leonids, you need to hustle a bit because they will peak on the night of November 17—that is, tonight. You can go out tomorrow and still see them, though. The Geminids will peak on…

Recent findings have shed light on the mysterious origins of the annual Geminid meteor shower. In a NASA blog post on June 14, 2023, Desiree Apodaca from the Goddard Space Flight Center revealed intriguing insights suggesting that a high-speed collision or a gaseous explosion could be responsible for creating the Geminid meteor stream.Unlike other meteor showers such as the Delta Aquariids or the Perseids, which are caused by debris from icy comets orbiting the sun, the Geminid meteors have a different source.For several…

Artist’s concept of the Parker Solar Probe spacecraft approaching the sun. Data from the spacecraft suggests that a violent event, possibly a high-speed collision or a gaseous explosion, likely led to the creation of the Geminid meteor stream, which uniquely originates from asteroid 3200 Phaethon. This insight challenges the typical understanding of meteor showers, usually formed from comet dust trails. Credit: NASAEach winter, the Geminid meteors light up the sky as they race past Earth, producing one of the most intense…

The brightly lit Geminid meteor shower is set to peak tonight, December 14. Know all about it and how to watch it live online. Sky watchers are in for an incredible treat the next few days. But tonight, December 14, is going to be the most spectacular of them all. Why? It's because the Geminid meteor shower is very much live and it is expected to peak tonight. Not only that, but many astronomers believe that it is going to be one of the best meteor shower nights of the entire year. So, you absolutely cannot miss it.…