If you’re in the mood for a meteor shower, then you’re in luck. Tonight, the famous Geminid meteor shower will appear and it is said to be a great event.
Geminid is considered the final meteor shower of every year and will occur between Thursday, Dec. 13 and Friday, Dec. 14, the Marion Patch reports.
In the 1830s, the first Geminids appeared at about 20 per hour. Meteor rates have increased over the years, and now they race through the sky at anywhere between 80 and 120 per hour.
The meteor shower is named after the Gemini constellation and occurs roughly in the same spot as the star collection. NASA explains, “Geminids are pieces of debris from an object called 3200 Phaethon, which is something of a mystery. Near closest approach to the Sun (perihelion), Phaethon exhibits increases in brightness similar to that of a comet; however, its orbit is characteristic of an asteroid. Extinct comet or asteroid? The debate still rages among astronomers.”
It said to be a moonless sky providing an even more fabulous show. The peak time to view the shower is on Dec. 14 between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m.
Check out the video below, for a glimpse of what to expect this year. To keep up with every meteor shower occurrence, view this schedule provided by StarDate Online.