JACKSON, Wyo. — After sunset but before the moon rises, step outside for a chance to see the Geminids meteor shower which peaks tonight and tomorrow, Dec. 13-14.
Usually one of the brightest meteor showers of the year, the Geminids radiate from the northeastern sky, near Gemini although there is no physical association to the constellation, Dr. Samuel Singer, executive director of Wyoming Stargazing told Buckrail this afternoon.
Singer suggests the optimal viewing time is as soon as it gets dark out, up until moonrise, at about 10 p.m. tonight. The moon is a waning gibbous tonight, which could create too much light in the night sky.
According to NASA, in perfect conditions, the Geminids produce 100-150 meteors per hour. The waning gibbous will probably allow for 30-40 visible meteors per hour at peak.
Weather is another factor to consider. Partly cloudy skies are forecasted for this evening in Jackson. If tonight is a bust, tomorrow may provide another chance to see the shower.
Singer explained that, unlike other meteor showers, the Geminids are the result of asteroid debris, not a comet. “Usually asteroids don’t have enough ice to form debris fields but this one does,” Singer said. Astroids usually orbit closer to the sun so they do not have ice but in this case, the asteroid does both.
Discovered in 1984 the asteroid responsible for the Geminids meteor shower is named 3200 Phaethon, after the son of the greek sun god, a nod to its proximity to the sun. “It gets really really close to the sun. The fact that it doesn’t burn up is really amazing,” Singer said.
According to Singer, the estimate for when 3200 Phaethon was first created goes back about 4.5 million years ago. The asteroid is likely the “leftover bits” from the formation of the solar system, which for example, could be pieces of planets that broke because of Jupiter’s gravity. Earth’s gravity put this specific asteroid into a different orbit, outside of the asteroid belt.
The Geminids will continue to happen through the rest of December but tonight and tomorrow are the peak opportunities to view from earth.
Singer will be discussing the Geminids tonight on his bi-monthly, “Astro Show” which features co-stars and special guests and covers all things astronomy from history to current events.
If the meteor shower is visible, send your photos to Buckrail to be featured in tomorrow’s “SNAPPED.”
