Mumbai: Geminid Meteor Shower or simply Geminid Shower, will be at its peak on December 13, 2022 and will be visible until Thursday and will be visible across the globe including India, UK and US.
The Geminids originate from a rocky asteroid called 3200 Phaethon with a comet-like orbit and were first observed in 1862.
The meteors, small pieces of interplanetary debris, appear to radiate from near the bright star Castor in the constellation Gemini.
Friction with the upper atmosphere heats up the incoming debris, causing the air around them to glow brightly.
This leads to streaks of light that are also known as shooting stars.
The Daily Mail in a report citing Royal Observatory in Greenwich said the Geminids are unusual as they can be multi-coloured – mainly white, some yellow and a few green, red and blue.
These colours are partly caused by the presence of traces of metals like sodium and calcium, the same effect that is used to make fireworks colourful, experts at the Royal Observatory said.
The shower has been active since November 19, 2022 and will remain active until December 24, 2022. However, its peak will begin on the evening of December 13, 2022 and will continue until the next morning.
The annual Geminids Shower which will be at its peak on December 13, 14 and 15, 2022 will be visible to stargazers in different parts of the world including India, United Kingdom and Unite States.
In India, stargazers will be able to watch the annual Geminid Shower at its peak December 13 and 14 after 10:00 pm.
The Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium has organised an overnight workshop from 10:00 pm to 04.30 am on December 13, 2022 to educate people on the night sky and recreate the Geminids showers.
For astronomers in New York City, the Geminids will become visible at around 5:32 p.m. EST (2232 GMT) each night when the radiant point rises above the horizon and the radiant point will be at its highest at around 2:00 a.m. EST on Dec. 15 (0700 GMT).
According to Anna Gammon-Ross, astronomer at Royal Observatory in Greenwich, the Geminids shower peak in the UK will be during the night of December 14-15 when up to 150 meteors will be visible per hour.
In suitably dark conditions with clear skies and no moon, skywatchers could spot as many as 120 Geminid meteors per hour at its peak.
Meanwhile, NASA has recommended stepping out during late evening hours on 13 December, away from city lights and pollution if you can. The meteors can be observed by the naked eye and it’s best to lay a blanket on the ground, lie on your back with your feet facing south and look up at the night sky. You may not catch the meteors immediately. Give your eyes about 30 minutes to adjust to the dark.
You don’t need to look for the constellation Gemini, the meteors will be spread across the sky. About 30-40 meteors will be visible per hour during this peak, but visibility may vary based on weather conditions where you are. Rain and Cyclone Mandous may affect visibility in many parts of South India.
Stargazers who had last seen the Gemini Shower found the skyline looking like Diwali in December.
For all the latest News, Opinions and Views, download ummid.com App.
Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic.
