A rare sight is expected to light up the sky over the weekend despite some challenges. According to NASA, the Geminid meteor showers may be visible under a full moon between late Friday night or early Saturday morning. However, the light from the moon could also make it difficult to see the showers, the agency said.
“Still, the Geminids are known for bright meteors, and it’s common to spot their shooting stars up to a week before the peak,” NASA stated. “If you’re up before dawn that week, it’s worth looking up, just in case you spot a speck of dust from space streaking through the morning sky.”
How has 2024 been for Geminid watching?
Bill Cooke, lead of NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office, said the visibility rate for the Geminids could be reduced by 50-75% because of the moon. However, the brightest meteors can still be seen in various parts of the world.
“In short, 2024 is a bad year for Geminid watching — December 2025 will be much better,” CBS News reported.
The best place to view the Geminid
For those who want the best viewing conditions, experts say they should go far from the city and find a place where they can lay down with their feet pointing south.
The Geminids, which are one of the strongest meteor showers, travel about 120 meteors per hour. Unlike most meteor showers, which come from comets, Geminids originate from the asteroid 3200 Phaethon, per NASA. Most meteors are colorless or white, but Geminids are often yellow, the agency adds. Geminids meteor showers are seen annually, but they first appeared in the mid-1800s.
What time can you see the meteor showers on Friday night?
As CBS News reported, “The shower usually starts around 9 or 10 p.m., with the meteors best viewed at night or in the pre-dawn hours.” The showers are expected to peak Friday night and through early Saturday morning. Space.com reported, “Peak Geminid activity typically occurs in the late evening and into the early morning hours, with the best viewing time around 2 a.m. local time when the Gemini constellation, the shower’s radiant, is at its highest point in the sky.”
Scientists describe meteors as space rocks, which heat up as they fall toward Earth. The meteors, according to NASA, look like shooting stars when they travel through the sky. Meteors usually travel through Earth’s atmosphere very rapidly and burn up in space. The meteors which fall to the ground without burning up are called meteorites.
