When and How to Witness the Geminid Meteor Shower

As the sun sets, cure your insomnia with more than just sleep. Instead, look up to the night sky and let the thrill of meteor watching envelop you. However, as celestial events go, the Gemini meteor shower is a unique and captivating phenomenon. While most meteor showers are linked to comets, Geminids hail from an asteroid. This shower, one of the most spectacular of the year, will dazzle you between December 13 and 14, 2020.

Why Expectations Often Fall Flat

I confess to being rather exasperated by the utterly reckless hype surrounding meteor showers and comets. Imagine your city had a wild Fourth of July celebration with a massive sparkler display. Everyone witnessed it and went, "Ooh!" and "Aah!" every 36 seconds. However, when people go out expecting a similar spectacle, rarely do they achieve this. Often, they see a mere few meteors, and when they see nothing, they go back in disappointed. This disenchants them and makes them question the validity of scientific explanations for phenomena such as evolution, vaccines, and climate change. After all, if we can't even predict what we're supposed to see from our own backyards, how can we trust scientific theories?

Better to Look Forward Than Back

Enter now the appointed time of the Gemini meteor shower, or more accurately, Comet Leonard. In 2020, Comet NEOWISE provided a beautiful sight in binoculars but only to those who knew where to look. Leonard, fainter and less predictable, is but a gleam on the horizon for the average observer. Thus, it's imperative to set your expectations accordingly if you hope to catch a glimpse of the Gemini meteor shower.

Best Practices for Observing the Geminid Meteor Shower

Preparing to view the Geminids requires patience and the right knowledge about where to look. Meteor showers originate from specific constellations, and tracking a meteor back to its source is part of the sky-watching experience. To trace a meteor back to the Gemini constellation, you must position yourself where the meteor appears to be coming from. This allows you to appreciate the beauty of the sky's countless wonders.

For those in search of live updates and detailed information, NASA has your back. They will be live-streaming the Geminid meteor shower on their Meteor Watch Facebook page. During peak times, a meteor camera positioned at the Marshall Space Flight Centre in Alabama will provide an unobstructed view of the celestial event. This ensures that your viewing experience is enhanced, no matter where you are in the world.

Understanding the Geminid Meteor Shower

The annual Geminid meteor shower is one of the most spectacular in the celestial calendar. With the potential for as many as 120 meteors per hour, it can be a breathtaking experience. Unlike most meteor showers, which are associated with comets, the Geminids originate from the asteroid 3200 Phaethon. This asteroid completes one orbit around the Sun every 1.4 years.

The meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Gemini, providing a spectacular light show for viewers. The shower peaks around December 13 or 14, depending on your time zone. However, due to the variability in meteor shower activity, it's recommended to be outside well before the peak, as visibility can increase as the night progresses.

So, let your spirit soar with the Geminid meteor shower. Prepare yourself with patience, a clear sky, a warm coat, and a little bit of hope. The universe will remind you of its grandeur through the fleeting light of these celestial marvels.