Geminid meteor shower 2022: There is good news for skygazers! It’s that time of the year when you can enjoy the view of an exceptional meteor shower – the Geminids. Nasa has described Geminids as one of the best and most reliable annual meteor showers. The meteor shower is coined ‘Geminid’ because according to NASA, the meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Gemini. NASA says that Geminids travel at a speed of 78,000 mph (35 km/s). This speed is over 1000 times faster than a cheetah and about 40 times faster than a speeding bullet.
How to watch the Geminid meteor shower 2022?
Thank your stars as there is no special equipment required to view this meteor shower, not even a telescope. What you really need is to find an isolated spot that is away from high-rise buildings and the bright lights of the city. Once you can see an all-clear sky, let your eyes adjust to the darkness for about 15-20 minutes. You can also use apps on your phone to locate the Gemini constellation. NASA says that you can catch the best view of Geminids during the night and predawn hours. They are visible across the globe.
When to watch the sky?
The Geminids are going to peak on the night of December 14 and December 15. The shower is more likely to be visible in areas of Bengaluru and also in areas where there is extremely low level of air pollution. According to NASA According to NASA, “A waning gibbous (when the Moon is greater than a semicircle and less than a circle) Moon will make it harder to view most of the shower, resulting in only 30-40 visible meteors per hour at the peak in the Northern Hemisphere, depending on sky conditions. But the Geminids are so bright that this should still be a good show.”
What are Geminids and what is their origin?
Geminids are bright and yellow in colour. They tend to be super fast. According to NASA, Geminids first started appearing in 1800s. However, then only 10-20 meteors were seen per hour. Now, Geminids have grown to become one of the major meteor showers in a year. When they are at peak, one can see around 120 Geminid meteors per hour, given that the conditions are suitable.
Meteors are basically leftover particles and bits from asteroids. When they come around the Sun, they leave a dusty trail behind them. Every year when the Earth passes through the debris trail of meteor 3200 Phaeton, the meteors burn up in our planet’s upper atmosphere, which then appears to us as the Geminid meteor shower.