Take a long look up in the night sky in the coming week and you just might be in for a treat with the peak of the annual Geminid meteor shower lighting up the dark sky over the Lowcountry.
The annual Geminids is one of the best meteor showers of the year, and the 2024 edition will produce the greatest number of meteors on the mornings of December 13th and 14th.
The 2024 Geminid meteor shower began on November 19th, and the steady rise to its peak next week could turn out to be a good show in the sky before the time for the Geminids is over on December 24th.
“The Geminids are a very reliable shower if you watch at the best time of night, centered on about 2am for all parts of the globe, and if you watch in a dark sky,” EarthSky.org said.
Its meteors tend to be bold, white and quick. The Geminid shower favors Earth’s Northern Hemisphere, and is caused by the curious rock comet called 3200 Phaethon.
“On a dark night, near the peak, you can often catch 50 or more meteors per hour,” the website said.
This year, the peak of the Geminid meteor shower will coincide with an approximately 90% illuminated Waxing Gibbous moon, with the full moon occurring just a couple of days later on Dec. 15. When there is no interference from moonlight, skywatchers can see up to 150 meteors per hour at peak times according to the American Meteor Society.
On an optimum night for the Geminids, it will be possible to see 150 meteors per hour in the sky, which might happen this year if there are clearer skies accompanying the meteor shower. Without much ground light, we only have to deal with the light of the moon.
