Mark Your Calendars! Stunning Geminid Meteor Shower Set to Illuminate the Sky
Mark your calendars! The breathtaking Geminid meteor shower is set to illuminate the night sky.
TroibNews 
The Geminids, one of the few major meteor showers that originate from asteroids, are set to peak on Friday.
"Each year, the Geminid meteor shower is active roughly from December 4 to 20, with a zenith hourly rate generally stable around 150 during its peak," explained Wang Kechao from the Purple Mountain Observatory at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
"It is often regarded as the most consistent meteor shower of the year, never disappointing astronomy enthusiasts who wait for it. This is how it got its nickname as 'the most reliable meteor shower,'" Wang said.
The Geminids can be seen worldwide thanks to a nearly 24-hour broad maximum. However, this year's peak coincides with a nearly full moon, which may hinder visibility, according to NASA.
Meteor showers happen annually, and viewers do not need special equipment to observe them. The best viewing times are usually between midnight and the hours leading up to dawn.
Viewing conditions are optimal under dark skies, away from urban light pollution. The brightness of meteor showers is enhanced on cloudless nights, particularly when the moon is at its smallest phase.
What exactly is a meteor shower?
While most meteor showers are associated with comet debris, a few, like the Geminids, are linked to asteroids. The Geminids are derived from the asteroid 3200 Phaethon, which orbits the sun.
When space debris enters the Earth’s atmosphere, it generates heat due to air resistance. This intense heat causes the surrounding air to glow and leaves behind a brief, fiery trail—the hallmark of a "shooting star."
The next meteor shower, the Ursids, is expected to peak around December 22.
Thomas Evans contributed to this report for TROIB News
"Each year, the Geminid meteor shower is active roughly from December 4 to 20, with a zenith hourly rate generally stable around 150 during its peak," explained Wang Kechao from the Purple Mountain Observatory at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
"It is often regarded as the most consistent meteor shower of the year, never disappointing astronomy enthusiasts who wait for it. This is how it got its nickname as 'the most reliable meteor shower,'" Wang said.
The Geminids can be seen worldwide thanks to a nearly 24-hour broad maximum. However, this year's peak coincides with a nearly full moon, which may hinder visibility, according to NASA.
Meteor showers happen annually, and viewers do not need special equipment to observe them. The best viewing times are usually between midnight and the hours leading up to dawn.
Viewing conditions are optimal under dark skies, away from urban light pollution. The brightness of meteor showers is enhanced on cloudless nights, particularly when the moon is at its smallest phase.
What exactly is a meteor shower?
While most meteor showers are associated with comet debris, a few, like the Geminids, are linked to asteroids. The Geminids are derived from the asteroid 3200 Phaethon, which orbits the sun.
When space debris enters the Earth’s atmosphere, it generates heat due to air resistance. This intense heat causes the surrounding air to glow and leaves behind a brief, fiery trail—the hallmark of a "shooting star."
The next meteor shower, the Ursids, is expected to peak around December 22.
Thomas Evans contributed to this report for TROIB News
