Stargazers are preparing for a huge meteor shower dubbed the ‘best of the year’.
The Geminid meteor shower could see over 120 meteors tracing through the night sky every hour – reaching its peak this weekend.
Metro has produced a handy guide so you know where, when and how you can enjoy the celestial show.
What is the Geminid meteor shower?
A meteor shower happens when cosmic debris, left by a larger comet or asteroid, flies through our atmosphere, causing it to burn up in a dazzling light display.
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This time, the meteors are coming from a cosmic entity called 3200 Phaethon. The strange thing is, nobody’s actually sure what it is.
Most meteor showers come from comets, which are made of ice, dust and rock. That’s because asteroids – made of rock – are less fragile, so are less likely to shed debris.
That’s what makes 3200 Phaethon so mysterious. It’s a strange hybrid world – part asteroid, part comet.
It’s rocky, but sparkles and displays a tail as it nears the sun, just like comets do. Scientists, unsure what to make of it, often call it a ‘rock-comet’.
The 6km-wide rock is travelling at around 45,000mph – and has a treat in store for us this weekend.
When is the Geminid meteor shower?
Astronomers are seriously excited – saying the Geminid meteors are likely to appear bright and multi-coloured in the night sky.
And the lunar cycle could make conditions perfect for observing them.
We’ve been seeing the shower since December 4 but it’s going to reach its peak on December 14.
A waning crescent moon will only rise after midnight so there are several hours to see the shower – the best likely between 10pm and 2am.
(Picture: Shutterstock/Genevieve de Messieres)
‘What you’d be looking at in a nice dark sky without clouds would be, say, 100 an hour, which is amazing,’ Dr Robert Massey of the Royal Astronomical Society told BBC.
‘It’s pretty much the strongest meteor shower of the year.’
While the moon is just right, weather conditions risk disrupting visibility.
Both Saturday and Sunday are expected to be windy and cloudy, with outbreaks of rain during the day and night.
What’s the best way to see the meteor shower this weekend?
Luckily, this is a naked eye event meaning you don’t need a telescope to enjoy the display.
For the best conditions, find a safe location away from street lights and other kinds of light pollution.
Make sure you dress warmly, bring a comfortable chair, and plenty of snacks and hot drinks.
Give your eyes at least 20 minutes to adjust to the darkness, and avoid looking at your phone as much as possible.
Lying back and scanning as much of the sky as you can will give you the best chance of catching the brightest meteors.
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