- By Maddie Molloy
- BBC News Climate and Science
Image source, Getty Images
The Geminids can be seen every year in mid-December
The Geminid meteor shower, famous for its multi-colored streaks of light across the night sky, is set to reach its peak on Thursday evening.
Meteors can be seen all over the world with the naked eye as long as the sky is not too cloudy or affected by light pollution.
In ideal conditions, viewers can spot dozens of meteors every hour.
NASA describes the Geminid meteor shower as one of the “best and most reliable annual meteor showers” this year.
What exactly causes these showers?
We see meteors when Earth passes through trails of comet or asteroid debris. When this debris hits our planet’s atmosphere, it burns up and creates stunning streaks of light.
The Geminids are powered by celestial debris left behind by a rocky asteroid known as 3200 Phaethon.
“Shooting stars have nothing to do with the stars in reality,” says Dr. Maggie Adrien Pocock, a space scientist and co-host of The Sky at Night. “It’s just little pieces of debris burning,” she said.
Dr Aderin-Pocock said that because this meteor shower was caused by an asteroid and not a comet, it made it “very striking because asteroids are rocky” whereas comets are icy.
“A fair number of these shooting stars will be colored due to differences in elements within the molecules,” she said.
The Royal Observatory in Greenwich says colors include white, yellow, green, red and blue. The colors are due in part to the presence of traces of minerals such as sodium and calcium in the debris.
The name Geminids comes from the constellation Gemini, the constellation from which these meteors appear.
Dr Minjae Kim, research fellow in astronomy and astrophysics at the University of Warwick, said: “This meteor is just a beautiful event in the night sky, as many of the shooting stars appear to be coming from the same area in the sky.”
How can you see the bathroom?
Dr Aderin-Pocock explained that the best way to see meteors is to just look up at the sky, adding that “although you don’t actually need to look towards Gemini, you may see more if you do.”
“So, if you find Orion, look a little to your left, and you should see Gemini, and that’s where these meteors will come out,” Dr. Adrian Pocock said.
Image source, Getty Images
You should be able to see the meteors with the naked eye – if the weather is good
You won’t need any special equipment to view the shower and it may be easier to see it with just the naked eye.
It’s also a good idea to go somewhere open and dark as much as possible, because light pollution in cities can spoil the view.
While the display has been visible for a few days already, the peak of the meteor shower in the UK is expected to begin around 19:30 GMT on 14 December.
Dr. Kim suggested downloading a stargazing app to help you know where to look.
“If you can find Gemini first, the meteor shower will be easier to see,” he says.
Other tips Dr Kim offers include giving your eyes time to adjust to the dark, and taking a friend with you – that way you can keep your eyes on different parts of the sky.
Don’t worry if you can’t see Gemini during its peak as rain continues for a few days, but in smaller numbers.
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