ST. LOUIS – Stargazers will be in for a treat as the Geminid meteor shower lights up the sky December 13-14.
The Geminids get their name because they appear to radiate from Gemini constellation.
Unlike most meteor showers, the Geminids are associated with an asteroid and not a comet.
The shower comes from the debris of the asteroid 3200 Phaethon. It orbits the sun every 1.4 years and every year, the Earth passes through its debris, creating the Geminids.
During the shower’s peak, approximately 100-150 meteors can be seen per hour. This year, a waning gibbous (the moon will be getting smaller) will make it harder to see most of the show. Around 30 to 40 meteors will be visible per hour in the Northern Hemisphere. It is still expected to be a good show due to the Geminids being so bright.
The Geminids will start between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Dec. 13 and peak at 6 a.m. on Dec. 14. The best time to see the showers will be around 2 a.m. The meteor shower can be seen until Dec. 17. The best way to view this is to find a dark spot away from the city and streetlights, wear warm clothes, lie back, and look up. It will take about 30 minutes for your eyes to adjust, so try not to look at other bright objects or your cell phone during that period.