[ad_1]
Don’t have a telescope or star map? No problem. Even stargazers can revel in the Geminid meteor shower, a heavenly spectacle that will soon light up the night sky.
How can you see the 2020 Geminid meteor shower? When? And what is it really? Find everything you need to know below.
What is a meteor shower?
A meteor shower is a collection of meteorites, rays of light across the sky caused by space debris, usually dust from a comet or asteroid, that burn up in Earth’s atmosphere. Most meteors are only the size of a grain of sand, but their high speed (about 66 km / s) ensures that they shine brightly.
Astronomers can thank a 5.7-mile-wide asteroid called ‘3200 Phaethon’ for the Geminid meteor shower. Specifically, they can be thankful for the micro-debris that detaches from Phaethon as it flies past Earth during its year and its five-month elliptical orbit through the Solar System.
Read more:
When is the next Geminid meteor shower?
The Geminid meteor shower will peak on December 13-14, but you should be able to catch some of them between December 4-17.
What time is the Geminid meteor shower tonight in the UK?
Thanks to the new moon, several shooting stars are likely to be visible at night. However, you should be able to see the rain better when it peaks around 1 a.m.
How do I see the Geminid meteor shower??
Leave the binoculars at home – to get the widest field of view, it’s best to look at the Geminids with your eyes only. Although most meteors will radiate from the constellation Gemini (hence the Geminids), they can be seen in all areas of the night sky. Observe where the meteors originate from and you can find out where Gemini is.
When looking for meteors, it’s best to let your eyes adjust to the dark and then look straight up. It can take up to 30 minutes to develop good night vision, so try not to look at your phone in the meantime. Remember, Instagram will still be there when you’re done.
Stargazers can expect around 140-150 shooting stars per hour. They are likely to be bright and a variety of different colors – white, yellow, and sometimes green, red, and blue, if you’re lucky.
What is the difference between meteors, comets, and asteroids?
Although it is often used interchangeably (particularly in bad science fiction), there are key differences:
- Meteorites they are the pieces of rock and twilight that come off the comets and asteroids. A meteorite is what falls through the Earth’s atmosphere.
- Asteroids They are masses of rocks that orbit the Sun in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
- KitesThey, like asteroids, orbit the Sun. However, they are made of ice and dust rather than rock.
Read more:
