The Geminids meteor shower, an annual celestial event occurring in mid-December, has illuminated the night skies once again. The meteor shower reached its peak on Thursday night, and although the peak has passed, the Geminids will continue to be visible until December 24. The meteor shower was particularly well-suited for observation in the Northern Hemisphere.
The Geminids meteor shower is known for its prolific display and is caused by the debris from 3200 Phaethon, an asteroid that may have originated from a larger comet. NASA notes that the Geminids are denser than meteors from other showers, allowing them to descend as low as 29 miles above Earth’s surface before burning up. This characteristic makes the Geminids one of the most reliable and impressive annual meteor showers.
Observations from NASA indicate that the Geminids meteor shower can be observed by people around the world, but it is best viewed by observers in the Northern Hemisphere. As one moves toward the Southern Hemisphere and closer to the South Pole, the altitude of the Geminid radiant—the point in the sky where the meteors appear to originate—decreases.
One notable feature of the Geminids is their speed, traveling at approximately 35 km per second. This speed is more than 1000 times faster than a cheetah, about 250 times faster than the fastest car in the world, and over 40 times faster than a speeding bullet. Additionally, the Geminids are known for their distinctive greenish hue, setting them apart from other meteors that typically appear colorless or white.
Next year, enthusiasts can anticipate three meteor showers with peak visibility during moonless skies: the Quadrantids in early January, the Eta Aquariids in May, and the Perseids in August.
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