The Geminid meteor shower is a major annual meteor shower that is active from December 4 to December 17.
The predicted peak of the Geminid meteor shower will fall on December 14 at 01:26 UTC in 2024.
The Geminids are one of the most prolific meteor showers of the year, along with the Quadrantids in January and the Perseids in August.
The Geminid meteor shower produces about 139 meteors per hour during peak activity. This is the average rate for the shower during the period 2010-2020.
We see the Geminid meteor shower every year in mid-December when our Earth passes through the dusty debris left behind by asteroid 3200 Phaethon in its orbit. So the Geminid meteors are fragments of the asteroid Phaethon.
Moonlight will interfere with the Geminids in 2024 because the bright waxing gibbous moon will rise in the afternoon and be visible almost all night during peak activity. So moonlight will wash out the faint Geminid meteors in 2024.
Duration of peak activity
Unlike the Quadrantids in January or the Lyrids in April, there is no sharp peak of the Geminid meteor shower.
The peak activity of the Geminid meteor shower can last up to about three days, centered on the predicted peak, making it easier to observe.
When to see the Geminid meteor shower in 2024
Wee hours (at around 1 to 2 a.m. local time) of December 13 and 14 is the best time to see the Geminid meteor shower in 2024.
The point from where the Geminid meteor shower radiates in the sky, called the shower’s radiant, rises in the mid-evening, reaches its highest point in the sky after midnight and then its altitude gradually decreases until it sets in the morning.
The radiant of the Geminid meteor shower climbs a decent height above the horizon around midnight, so I will suggest you start watching Geminids (Geminid meteors) from midnight and continue it till dawn.
You won’t see the Geminid meteor shower in the early evening as the shower’s radiant is located near the horizon in the eastern sky.
Where to look to see the Geminid meteor shower
The Geminid meteor shower radiates from the zodiac constellation Gemini, the Twins. Look high in the southeastern sky after midnight to spot the constellation Gemini.
The radiant of the Geminid meteor shower is located near the bright star Castor in the constellation Gemini. Castor is the second brightest star in the constellation Gemini (after Pollux) and the 23rd brightest star in the night sky. It is easily noticeable in the night sky, even from light-polluted areas. Castor appears blue-white and Pollux appears yellow-white in the night sky.
However, I will suggest you don’t look at the constellation Gemini only to see the Geminid meteor shower, as the meteors closer to the radiant have shorter trails and are difficult to observe. So move your gaze across the entire east, southeast, and south directions of the sky.
Visibility of the Geminid meteor shower
The Geminid meteor shower is most favorable to observers in the Northern Hemisphere, especially those located in the mid-northern latitudes (from 20°N to 45°N).
Northern hemisphere: Observers located in the mid-northern latitudes will see an excellent display of this shower, where the radiant reaches almost overhead in the sky (about 80° altitude) at 2 a.m. local time.
However, the observers located in the low- and high-northern latitudes will see a moderate display of this shower, where the radiant reaches about 60° altitude after midnight.
Southern hemisphere: Observers located in the low- and mid-southern latitudes will see a poor display of this shower, where the radiant reaches about 30° altitude after midnight.
Anyone living farther south than 35°S will struggle to observe this shower, where the radiant never rises much above the horizon.
How the Geminid meteor shower got its name
Meteor showers are usually named after a constellation in which the radiant lies during peak activity or after a bright star closest to the radiant.
The Geminid meteor shower got its name from the zodiac constellation Gemini, as the shower’s radiant is located in the constellation Gemini during peak activity.
How to observe the Geminid meteor shower
You don’t need any special equipment, such as a pair of binoculars or a telescope, to see the Geminid meteor shower. A meteor shower is best seen with the naked eye.
Find a safe, dark place away from city lights where a large portion of the sky is seen. Lie down or sit on a lawn chair and look straight up at the sky, facing roughly southeast. Bring blankets and sleeping bags to avoid a cold.
It will take around 30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the darkness, and don’t look at your cell phone as the bright light from its screen will interrupt your night vision.
Be patient, as the celestial show of the Geminid meteor shower will be visible until dawn.
As the night progresses you will see more Geminid meteors and will reach its maximum value at around 2 a.m. local time.
Now the larger meteoroids, which produce the brightest Geminid meteors, appear shortly after maximum due to the Poynting-Robertson effect on the Geminid stream. So don’t rush to pack up and go to bed.
References
Atlas of Meteor Showers – A Practical Workbook for Meteor Observers
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