Circumstances for 2021: First, the bad news: the Geminids peak this year on Tuesday, December 14th at 7:00 Universal Time (UT) or ~ 2:00 AM EST. This months Full Moon is also the Long Nights Moon, as the Moon trips high in the sky, simply two days prior to the December 21st winter southward solstice.
The Geminid glowing rising, looking eastward on the night of the 13th at 10PM. Credit: Stellarium.
But do not misery: the bright side is, the Geminids are normally a strong shower, with an anticipated zenithal per hour rate of 120 meteors per hour in 2021. The shower likewise produces a high ratio of brilliant fireballs, another plus. The radiant for the shower is situated fairly far northward near Castor (Alpha Geminorum), meaning that, unlike many meteor showers– you dont always have to wait up until previous local midnight for the Geminids to get underway. In fact, I d start you vigil a night or 2 prior this coming weekend … the Geminids may very well already be active.
The orientation of the Earths shadow, the Sun, Moon and the glowing of the Geminids at their peak. Credit: Dave Dickinson.
The source of the Geminids is rock-comet 3200 Phaethon, another unusual aspect of the meteor shower. 3200 Phaethon appears to be shedding a prodigious quantity of material in the procedure, tiny pieces of which we see spotting through the night sky in the type of the Geminid meteors.
The orbit of rock-comet 3200 Phaethon. Credit: NASA/JPL.
The Geminids: Past, present and future: First recognized as a major shower back in 1862, the Geminids have really taken off over the last few years. Back in the late 20th century, the Geminids were practically an unknown winter season shower that couple of had heard of; quick forward to the early 21st century, and the Geminids have actually exceeded the August Perseid meteors as the top draw of the year. The Geminids have a bit of a PR issue occurring as they do in the depths of northern hemisphere winter, but their high reliable rates and broad span of activity make them worth braving the cold for. Other showers such as the Delta Aquariids and the Quadrantids (coming right up on January 3rd) are nearly legendary unicorns among meteor shower observers, with narrow peaks simply a few hours long.
A hail of Geminid meteors from 2020. Image credit and copyright: Jeff Sullivan
Get in the Ursids: Another December shower is active in the coming weeks: the Ursids peak with a ZHR of 10-15 on December 21-22. These fast-moving meteors come from a radiant near Kochab (Beta Ursae Majoris), and come from source Comet 8P/Tuttle.
A Geminid meteor time lapse from 2020: Image Credit and copyright: Filipp Romanov.
Do not miss an opportunity to capture the last huge act of 2021, with the Geminid meteors.
Lead image: Geminid meteors over the Sonoran desert. Credit and Copyright: Rob Sparks.
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Do not anguish: the good news is, the Geminids are usually a strong shower, with an expected zenithal per hour rate of 120 meteors per hour in 2021. The glowing for the shower is located relatively far northward near Castor (Alpha Geminorum), indicating that, unlike many meteor showers– you do not necessarily have to wait up until past regional midnight for the Geminids to get underway. The source of the Geminids is rock-comet 3200 Phaethon, another bizarre element of the meteor shower. Back in the late 20th century, the Geminids were almost an odd winter season shower that few had actually heard of; quickly forward to the early 21st century, and the Geminids have actually gone beyond the August Perseid meteors as the top draw of the year. Other showers such as the Delta Aquariids and the Quadrantids (coming right up on January 3rd) are almost mythical unicorns among meteor shower observers, with narrow peaks just a couple of hours long.
Among the very best yearly meteor showers of the year, the Geminids complete 2021.
The coming days use another early AM celestial sight: the Geminid meteors. To be sure, 2021 sees the Geminid meteors take place under rather tough conditions.