two meteor showers Stars known for producing many bright shooting stars will color the night sky in December.
The first of the taps is Gemini meteor showerfollowed by a meteor shower known as a meteor shower at the end of the month Urushid.
When to see the Geminid meteor shower
annual Gemini meteor shower During peak activity, they often produce 50-100 meteors per hour, and in low light conditions they can produce as many as 120 meteors per hour.
The meteor shower started in late November and will last until Christmas Eve this year, but Gemini is expected to be at its best from the evening of Tuesday, December 13th through the early morning of Wednesday, December 14th.According to astronomy experts EarthSky.org.
The full moon in December will be about 75% full, so it will be difficult to see the faintest meteors. However, experts say Gemini is known to produce white, bright meteors, so we should see many meteors this year.
Most meteor showers originate from comets, but Gemini is actually a small fragment of a comet. asteroid, known as the 3200 Phaeton. (Another meteor shower linked to an asteroid is Quadrant, peak in early January.)
Gemini is named after Gemini. “Because it looks like a meteor will appear from this constellation in the sky,” he said. TimeAndDate.com.
Sky watchers can see two meteor showers that peak in December 2022: the Geminids and the Ursid meteor showers.Photo Illustration | Enrique | Pixabay
Time to see the Ursid meteor shower
The last meteor shower of 2022 will be Ursid meteor showervisible from December 17 to December 26 in the northern hemisphere, possibly Midnight on December 22nd is the peak Until the early morning of December 23rd.
“Visibility for the 2022 Urscid meteor shower should be good.” space dot com Say. “There is no bright moonlight in the sky, December 23 New Moon Arrival”
The Ursid meteor shower typically produces only 5-10 shooting stars per hour, with the highest numbers in the darkest locations. Occasionally, however, this meteor shower overperforms.
This photo shows a meteor passing over Cape May during an active Perseid meteor shower several years ago. Two of his other meteor showers – Gemini and Ursa Minor – will peak in December 2022.Chris Bakery
Meteor shower viewing tips
As with any meteor shower, it’s best viewed from bright street lights or as far away as possible from street lights. Also, bundle up and bring extra blankets if the weather in your area is cold.
Wait about 20 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark sky.
Meteor showers get their name from the constellations they radiate, but astronomy experts say it’s best not to focus on those parts of the sky.
“Instead of looking to these constellations to see meteors, you’ll want to see the entire sky,” said Amy Gallagher. Planetarium Director at Raritan Valley Community College secretary with Mid-Atlantic Planetarium Association.
“You don’t need a telescope or binoculars to see meteor showers,” Gallagher pointed out. “Use your eyes to scan the sky.” The number of shooting stars that can be seen changes depending on the timing of viewing.
“Meteor showers are best seen after midnight,” Gallagher said. “That’s when part of the Earth you’re on is moving into the cosmic debris stream left behind by the parent comet.”
However, during this year’s Geminid meteor shower, bright moonlight can interfere with visibility after midnight and beyond. As such, Gallagher says, “you may have better luck looking for meteors in the evening before the moon rises.”
The Moon will begin to rise in the New York City area around 9:30 PM on December 13th and around 10:30 PM on December 14th. TimeAndDate.com.
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